In the week ending February 18, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 244,000, an increase of 6,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 1,000 from 239,000 to 238,000. The 4-week moving average was 241,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised average. This is the lowest level for this average since July 21, 1973 when it was 239,500. The previous week's average was revised down by 250 from 245,250 to 245,000.

State: Kentucky

Type of Award: National Dislocated Worker Grant

Award Amount Approved: $1,989,194

Initial Amount Released: $1,091,153

Funding Awarded to: Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet

Number of Workers Served: Approximately 175

In the week ending February 11, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 239,000, an increase of 5,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 234,000. The 4-week moving average was 245,250, an increase of 500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 500 from 244,250 to 244,750.

In the week ending February 4, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 234,000, a decrease of 12,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 246,000. The 4-week moving average was 244,250, a decrease of 3,750 from the previous week's unrevised average of 248,000. This is the lowest level for this average since November 3, 1973 when it was 244,000.

State: Washington

Type of Award: National Dislocated Worker Grant supplemental

Supplemental Amount Approved: $2,000,000

Total Funds Awarded: $10,086,385

Funding Awarded to: Pacific Mountain Workforce Consortium

Number of Workers Served: Approximately 2,100

In the week ending January 28, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 246,000, a decrease of 14,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 259,000 to 260,000. The 4-week moving average was 248,000, an increase of 2,250 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 245,500 to 245,750.

In the week ending January 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 259,000, an increase of 22,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 3,000 from 234,000 to 237,000. The 4-week moving average was 245,500, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised average. This is the lowest level for this average since November 3, 1973 when it was 244,000. The previous week's average was revised up by 750 from 246,750 to 247,500.

State: Wyoming

Type of Award: National Dislocated Worker Grant

Award Amount Approved: $2,000,000

Initial Amount Released: $1,080,465

Funding Awarded to: Wyoming Department of Workforce Services

Number of Workers Served: Approximately 140

In the week ending January 14, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 234,000, a decrease of 15,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 247,000 to 249,000. The 4-week moving average was 246,750, a decrease of 10,250 from the previous week's revised average. This is the lowest level for this average since November 3, 1973 when it was 244,000. The previous week's average was revised up by 500 from 256,500 to 257,000.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that it has signed an agreement with Amazon to establish a registered apprenticeship program to train veterans for in-demand technical careers at the online technology giant.

Deputy U.S. Secretary of Labor Chris Lu and Vice President, Global Talent Acquisition at Amazon Web Services Ardine Williams joined in a ceremony at the department’s national headquarters to mark the occasion.

State: Tennessee

Type of Award: National Dislocated Worker Grant

Award Amount Approved: $5,824,000

Initial Amount Released: $2,000,000

Funding Awarded to: Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development

Number of Workers Served: Approximately 200

State: Pennsylvania

Type of Award: National Dislocated Worker Grant

Award Amount Approved/Released: $238,049

Funding Awarded to: Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry

Number of Workers Served: Approximately 39

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration today awarded $65 million to 52 state workforce agencies, including Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia, to operate Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment programs for unemployment insurance beneficiaries.

In the week ending January 7, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 247,000, an increase of 10,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 235,000 to 237,000. The 4-week moving average was 256,500, a decrease of 1,750 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 1,500 from 256,750 to 258,250.

WASHINGTON – Over one-fifth of the current U.S. workforce is made up of workers in licensed occupations – jobs that require a government license. Current licensing systems, however, can become inefficient, resulting in barriers for workers trying to enter a profession, restricted worker mobility and ultimately impaired economic growth.

State: Kentucky

Type of Award: National Dislocated Worker Grant

Supplemental Amount Approved: $11,000,000, with $5,000,000 released initially       

Total Funds Awarded: $22,486,426

Funding Awarded to: Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Programs, Inc.

Number of Workers Served: Approximately 1,450

State: Louisiana

Type of Award: National Dislocated Worker Grant

Supplemental Amount Approved: $3,252,150

Total Funds Awarded: $4,252,150

Funding Awarded to:Louisiana Workforce Commission

Number of Workers Served:Approximately 275

In the week ending December 31, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 235,000, a decrease of 28,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 2,000 from 265,000 to 263,000. The 4-week moving average was 256,750, a decrease of 5,750 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised down by 500 from 263,000 to 262,500.

State: California

Type of Award: National Dislocated Worker Grant

Initial Amount Approved: $11,000,000

Incremental Amount Awarded: $4,000,000

Funding Awarded to: California Employment Development Department

Number of Workers Served: Approximately 550

In the week ending December 24, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 265,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 275,000. The 4-week moving average was 263,000, a decrease of 750 from the previous week's unrevised average of 263,750.