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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending February 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 341,000, a decrease of 27,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 368,000. The 4-week moving average was 352,500, an increase of 1,500 from the previous week's revised average of 351,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent for the week ending February 2, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending February 2 was 3,114,000, a decrease of 130,000 from the preceding week's unrevised level of 3,244,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,187,250, a decrease of 28,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,216,000.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 359,428 in the week ending February 9, a decrease of 29,014 from the previous week. There were 365,014 initial claims in the comparable week in 2012.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent during the week ending February 2, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,640,033, a decrease of 103,381 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,743,414. A year earlier, the rate was 3.1 percent and the volume was 3,984,889.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending January 26 was 5,918,156, an increase of 327,676 from the previous week. There were 7,681,411 persons claiming benefits in all programs in the comparable week in 2012.

Extended Benefits were not available in any state during the week ending January 26.

Initial claims for UI benefits filed by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,544 in the week ending February 2, an increase of 174 from the prior week. There were 2,695 initial claims filed by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 439 from the preceding week.

There were 23,522 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending January 26, an increase of 1,133 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 40,659, an increase of 851 from the prior week.

States reported 2,081,356 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending January 26, an increase of 255,258 from the prior week. There were 3,002,475 persons claiming EUC in the comparable week in 2012. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending January 26 were in Alaska (6.6), Pennsylvania (4.4), Montana (4.3), New Jersey (4.3), Puerto Rico (4.2), Wisconsin (4.2), Connecticut (4.0), Idaho (4.0), Rhode Island (4.0), Illinois (3.9), and Oregon (3.9).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending February 02 were in California (+11,784), Texas (+2,071), New York (+2,066), Florida (+2,050), and Oregon (+1,603), while the largest decreases were in North Carolina (-2,681), Tennessee (-2,003), Alabama (-1,248), Michigan (-1,011), and Connecticut (-676).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance Feb. 9

Feb. 2

Change

Jan. 26

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

341,000

368,000

-27,000

371,000

361,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

359,428

388,442

-29,014

369,480

365,014

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

352,500

351,000

+1,500

352,750

371,250

WEEK ENDING

Advance Feb. 2

Jan. 26

Change

Jan. 19

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,114,000

3,244,000

-130,000

3,216,000

3,444,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

3,640,033

3,743,414

-103,381

3,678,926

3,984,889

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,187,250

3,216,000

-28,750

3,197,250

3,499,500

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

2.4%

2.5%

-0.1

2.5%

2.7%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

2.8%

2.9%

-0.1

2.9%

3.1%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Feb. 2

Jan. 26

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

1,544

1,370

+174

1,578

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,695

2,256

+439

2,893

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Jan. 26

Jan. 19

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

3,735,696

3,672,493

+63,203

4,087,142

Federal Employees (UCFE)

23,522

22,389

+1,133

30,310

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

40,659

39,808

+851

42,850

EUC 20083

2,081,356

1,826,098

+255,258

3,002,475

Extended Benefits4

862

860

+2

475,308

State Additional Benefits 5

5,846

5,378

+468

4,525

STC / Workshare 6

30,215

23,454

+6,761

38,801

TOTAL

5,918,156

5,590,480

+327,676

7,681,411

FOOTNOTES SA - Seasonally Adjusted Data, NSA - Not Seasonally Adjusted Data 1 - Prior year is comparable to most recent data.2 - Most recent week used covered employment of 128,613,913 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity. Tier-specific EUC data can be found here: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/persons.xls4 - Information on the EB program can be found here: http://www.ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/extenben.asp 5 - Some states maintain additional benefit programs for those claimants who exhaust regular, extended and emergency benefits. Information on states that participate, and the extent of benefits paid, can be found starting on page 4-5 of this link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf 6 - Information on STC/Worksharing can be found starting on page 4-9 of the following link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 2/2/2013

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

NC

-2,681

Fewer layoffs in the construction, freight transportation and warehousing, stone, clay, glass, concrete products, petroleum refining, and agriculture industries.

TN

-2,003

No comment.

AL

-1,248

Fewer layoffs in the construction, agriculture, forestry and fishing industries.

MI

-1,011

Fewer layoffs in all industries.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

+11,784

Layoffs in all sectors, with the largest increase in the service industry.

TX

+2,071

No comment.

NY

+2,066

Layoffs in the construction, food service, and retail industries

FL

+2,050

Layoffs in the construction, manufacturing, trade, retail, and service industries.

OR

+1,603

No comment.

IL

+1,435

Layoffs in the construction, manufacturing, and administrative support service industries.

WI

+1,298

No comment.

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-693-4676. TDD Message Phone: 1-800-326-2577. News releases from the U.S. Department of Labor are accessible on the Internet at: http://www.dol.gov/ and http://www.ows.doleta.gov/

Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
February 14, 2013