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| EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING
ADMINISTRATION |
USDL 03-117 |
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| Program Contact: |
TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS |
| Thomas Stengle (202) 693-2991 |
RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL |
| Media Contact : |
8:30 A.M. (EDT), THURSDAY |
| (202) 693-4676 |
March 13, 2003 |
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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending March 8, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted
initial claims was 420,000, a decrease of 15,000 from the previous
week's revised figure of 435,000. The 4-week moving average was 419,750, an
increase of 9,750 from the previous week's revised average of 410,000.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8
percent for the week ending March 1, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from
the prior week's revised rate of 2.7 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment
during the week ending March 1 was 3,496,000, an increase of 14,000 from
the preceding week's revised level of 3,482,000. The 4-week moving average was
3,434,000, an increase of 50,250 from the preceding week's revised average of
3,383,750.
UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs,
unadjusted, totaled 408,918 in the week ending March 8, a decrease
of 19,717 from the previous week. There were 386,529 initial claims in the
comparable week in 2002.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.3 percent during
the week ending March 1, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted
number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,209,011, an
increase of 16,115 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was
3.3 percent and the volume was 4,259,426.
Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington
during the week ending Feb. 22.
53 states reported that 822,510 individuals filed continued claims under
the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during
the week ending Feb. 22.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees
totaled 1,132 in the week ending March 1, an increase of 158 from the prior
week. There were 1,330 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase
of 253 from the preceding week.
There were 19,818 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits
for the week ending Feb. 22, an increase of 1,558 from the previous week. Newly
discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 20,649, an increase of 857 from
the prior week.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Feb. 22 were
in Alaska (6.9 percent), Oregon (5.2), Idaho (5.1), Puerto Rico (5.1),
Pennsylvania (4.9), Rhode Island (4.7), Washington (4.7), Wisconsin (4.6),
Massachusetts (4.5), and Michigan (4.5).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 1 were
in New York (+12,807), North Carolina (+6,356), California (+5,509), Missouri
(+3,663), and Michigan (+3,433), while the largest decreases were in
Massachusetts (-5,205), Texas (-4,102), Pennsylvania (-2,599), Rhode Island
(-343), and Vermont (-280).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE
PROGRAMS
|
Advance |
|
|
|
Prior1 |
| WEEK ENDING |
March 8 |
March 1 |
Change |
Feb. 22 |
Year |
| Initial Claims (SA) |
420,000 |
435,000 |
-15,000 |
418,000 |
399,000 |
| Initial Claims
(NSA) |
408,918 |
428,635 |
-19,717 |
387,068 |
386,529 |
| 4-Wk Moving
Average (SA) |
419,750 |
410,000 |
+9,750 |
400,000 |
393,500 |
|
Advance |
|
|
|
Prior1 |
| WEEK ENDING |
March 1 |
Feb. 22 |
Change |
Feb. 15 |
Year |
| Ins. Unemployment
(SA) |
3,496,000 |
3,482,000 |
+14,000 |
3,341,000 |
3,541,000 |
| Ins. Unemployment
(NSA) |
4,209,011 |
4,192,896 |
+16,115 |
4,089,902 |
4,259,426 |
| 4-Wk Moving
Average (SA) |
3,434,000 |
3,383,750 |
+50,250 |
3,347,750 |
3,525,500 |
| Ins.
Unemployment Rate (SA)2 |
2.8% |
2.7% |
+0.1 |
2.6% |
2.8% |
| Ins. Unemployment Rate
(NSA)2 |
3.3% |
3.3% |
0.0 |
3.2% |
3.3% |
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS
(UNADJUSTED)
| |
|
|
|
Prior1 |
| WEEK ENDING |
March 1 |
Feb. 22 |
Change |
Year |
| Federal Employees |
1,132 |
974 |
+158 |
979 |
| Newly Discharged Veterans |
1,330 |
1,077 |
+253 |
1,109 |
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS
(UNADJUSTED)
|
|
|
|
Prior1 |
| WEEK ENDING |
Feb. 22 |
Feb. 15 |
Change |
Year |
| Federal Employees |
19,818 |
18,260 |
+1,558 |
17,713 |
| Newly Discharged Veterans |
20,649 |
19,792 |
+857 |
16,512 |
| Railroad Retirement
Board |
6,000 |
6,000 |
0 |
7,000 |
| Extended Benefits |
17,425 |
17,106 |
+319 |
36,281 |
| Federal (TEUC) |
822,510 |
689,030 |
+133,480 |
0 |
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 126,949,730 as denominator.
UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 03/01/2003
STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
| State |
Change |
|
State Supplied Comment |
| MA |
-5,205 |
|
No comment. |
| TX |
-4,102 |
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Fewer layoffs in the information, mining, and
manufacturing industries. |
| PA |
-2,599 |
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Fewer layoffs in the construction, lumber/wood,
stone/clay/glass, and transportation equipment industries. |
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
| TN |
+1,003 |
|
Layoffs in the paper, chemical, and
lumber/wood industries. |
| WV |
+1,149 |
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Layoffs in the mining industry. |
| AL |
+1,581 |
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Layoffs in the construction, food, and
electrical equipment industries. |
| IL |
+2,056 |
|
Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service
industries. |
| VA |
+2,787 |
|
Layoffs in the primary metals, leather goods, and
stone/clay/glass industries. |
| MI |
+3,433 |
|
Layoffs in the automobile industry. |
| MO |
+3,663 |
|
Layoffs in the construction and electrical machinery
industries. |
| CA |
+5,509 |
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Layoffs in the construction industry. |
| NC |
+6,356 |
|
Layoffs in the construction, textile, and apparel
industries. |
| NY |
+12,807 |
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Increase is school closings related. |
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