Please note: As of January 20, 2021, information in some news releases may be out of date or not reflect current policies.

News Release

Note: Calendar Year (CY) 2014 Seasonal Factors and revised seasonal factors and historical series for CY 2009-2013 for both initial claims and continued claims will be made available April 3, 2014, with the release of the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Weekly Claims News Release.

In addition, beginning April 10, 2014, the UI Weekly Claims News Release will be issued under a revised (.pdf) format. The new version of the release will include graphics and tables for additional information and ease of use.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending March 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 311,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 321,000. The 4-week moving average was 317,750, a decrease of 9,500 from the previous week's revised average of 327,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent for the week ending March 15, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 15 was 2,823,000, a decrease of 53,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,876,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,862,500, a decrease of 31,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,894,000.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 273,411 in the week ending March 22, a decrease of 12,559 from the previous week. There were 315,620 initial claims in the comparable week in 2013.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent during the week ending March 15, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,144,812, a decrease of 88,295 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.6 percent and the volume was 3,402,007.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending March 8 was 3,306,871, a decrease of 43,157 from the previous week. There were 5,455,779 persons claiming benefits in all programs in the comparable week in 2013.

No state was triggered "on" the Extended Benefits program during the week ending March 8.

Initial claims for UI benefits filed by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,010 in the week ending March 15, a decrease of 47 from the prior week. There were 1,827 initial claims filed by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 147 from the preceding week.

There were 19,359 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 8, an increase of 244 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 28,354, an increase of 476 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending March 8 were in Alaska (5.5), New Jersey (4.1), Rhode Island (3.9), Connecticut (3.8), Pennsylvania (3.7), California (3.6), Illinois (3.6), Montana (3.4), Massachusetts (3.3), and Wisconsin (3.3).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 15 were in California (+3,189), Nebraska (+1,044), Virginia (+513), Missouri (+492), and Tennessee (+474), while the largest decreases were in Pennsylvania (-3,166), Illinois (-2,320), New York (-2,155), Texas (-1,373), and Wisconsin (-1,055).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance March 22

March 15

Change

March 8

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

311,000

321,000

-10,000

315,000

357,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

273,411

285,970

-12,559

302,311

315,620

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

317,750

327,250

-9,500

330,500

343,000

WEEK ENDING

Advance March 15

March 8

Change

March 1

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

2,823,000

2,876,000

-53,000

2,848,000

3,070,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

3,144,812

3,233,107

-88,295

3,277,983

3,402,007

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

2,862,500

2,894,000

-31,500

2,914,000

3,077,500

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

2.2%

2.2%

0.0

2.2%

2.4%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

2.4%

2.5%

-0.1

2.5%

2.6%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

March 15

March 8

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

1,010

1,057

-47

1,176

Newly Discharged Veterans

1,827

1,974

-147

2,270

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

March 8

March 1

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

3,227,182

3,272,175

-44,993

3,453,591

Federal Employees (UCFE)

19,359

19,115

+244

20,353

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

28,354

27,878

+476

38,323

Extended Benefits3

62

33

+29

563

State Additional Benefits 4

10,518

10,081

+437

5,959

STC / Workshare 5

21,396

20,746

+650

30,666

STC / TOTAL6

3,306,871

3,350,028

-43,157

5,455,779

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 130,938,360 as denominator. 3 - Information on the EB program can be found here: http://www.ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/extenben.asp 4 - 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 5 - 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.pdf6 - Prior year total includes EUC claimants.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED MARCH 15, 2014

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

PA

-3,166

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

IL

-2,320

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

NY

-2,155

Fewer layoffs in the transportation and warehousing, construction, and retail trade industries.

TX

-1,373

No comment.

WI

-1,055

No comment.

WA

-1,026

No comment.

NJ

-1,008

Fewer layoffs in the construction, manufacturing, and trade industries.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-3,189

Layoffs in the service and retail trade industries.

NE

-1,044

No comment.

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.oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/claims_arch.asp.

Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
March 27, 2014