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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending February 16, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 362,000, an increase of 20,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 342,000. The 4-week moving average was 360,750, an increase of 8,000 from the previous week's revised average of 352,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent for the week ending February 9, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending February 9 was 3,148,000, an increase of 11,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,137,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,186,250, a decrease of 6,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,193,000.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 346,428 in the week ending February 16, a decrease of -14,758 from the previous week. There were 346,659 initial claims in the comparable week in 2012.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent during the week ending February 9, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,648,864, a decrease of 18,188 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,667,052. A year earlier, the rate was 3.2 percent and the volume was 4,010,489.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending February 2 was 5,610,327, a decrease of 307,848 from the previous week. There were 7,486,681 persons claiming benefits in all programs in the comparable week in 2012.

Extended Benefits were not available in any state during the week ending February 2.

Initial claims for UI benefits filed by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,419 in the week ending February 9, a decrease of 125 from the prior week. There were 2,524 initial claims filed by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 171 from the preceding week.

There were 22,279 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending February 2, a decrease of 1,243 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 39,610, a decrease of 1,049 from the prior week.

States reported 1,849,056 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending February 2, a decrease of 232,319 from the prior week. There were 2,903,219 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 February 2 were in Alaska (6.4), Puerto Rico (4.5), Montana (4.4), Pennsylvania (4.3), New Jersey (4.2), Wisconsin (4.1), Idaho (4.0), Connecticut (3.9), Rhode Island (3.9), and Oregon (3.8).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending February 9 were in Kansas (+2,344), Puerto Rico (+492), Virginia (+465), Indiana (+205), and Rhode Island (+176), while the largest decreases were in California (-4,830), New York (-4,401), Oregon (-2,211), Pennsylvania (-2,020), and Wisconsin (-1,670).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance Feb. 16

Feb. 9

Change

Feb. 2

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

362,000

342,000

+20,000

368,000

362,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

346,428

361,186

-14,758

388,442

346,659

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

360,750

352,750

+8,000

351,000

368,750

WEEK ENDING

Advance Feb. 9

Feb. 2

Change

Jan. 26

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,148,000

3,137,000

+11,000

3,244,000

3,410,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

3,648,864

3,667,052

-18,188

3,743,414

4,010,489

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,186,250

3,193,000

-6,750

3,216,000

3,464,250

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

2.4%

2.4%

0.0

2.5%

2.7%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

2.8%

2.9%

-0.1

2.9%

3.2%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Feb. 9

Feb. 2

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

1,419

1,544

-125

1,383

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,524

2,695

-171

2,520
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Feb. 2

Jan. 26

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

3,658,719

3,735,696

-76,977

3,974,003

Federal Employees (UCFE)

22,279

23,522

-1,243

28,804

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

39,610

40,659

-1,049

42,021

EUC 20083

1,849,056

2,081,375

-232,319

2,903,219

Extended Benefits4

651

862

-211

489,487

State Additional Benefits 5

5,868

5,846

+22

4,575

STC / Workshare 6

34,144

30,215

+3,929

44,572

TOTAL

5,610,327

5,918,175

-307,848

7,486,681

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 on pagse 4-5 of this link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf 6 - Information on STC/Worksharing can be found on pages 4-9 of the following link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 02/9/2013

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-4,830

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

NY

-4,401

Fewer layoffs in the transportation, construction, and educational service industries.

OR

-2,211

No comment.

PA

-2,020

Fewer layoffs in the construction, transportation, entertainment, lodging, food service, and retail industries.

WI

-1,670

No comment.

NC

-1,463

Fewer layoffs in the machinery and computer equipment, and construction industries.

MA

-1,349

Fewer layoffs in the construction, accommodation, and administrative support industries.

IL

-1,337

Fewer layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.

NJ

-1,292

Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, manufacturing, accommodations and food services, and administrative support industries.

CT

-1,222

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

KS

+2,344

Layoffs in all the transportation manufacturing industries.

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 21, 2013