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EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION |
USDL 03-135 |
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Program Contact: |
TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS |
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Thomas Stengle (202) 693-2991 |
RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL |
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Media Contact : |
8:30 A.M. (EDT), THURSDAY |
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(202) 693-4676 |
March 20, 2003 |
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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending March 15, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 421,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 425,000. The 4-week moving average was 424,750, an increase of 3,750 from the previous week's revised average of
421,000.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent for the week ending March 8, 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 8 was 3,548,000, an increase of 66,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,482,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,463,500, an increase of 32,750 from the preceding week's revised
average of 3,430,750.
UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 383,844 in the week ending March 15, a decrease of 30,104 from the previous week. There were 351,855 initial claims in the comparable week in 2002.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.2 percent during the week ending March 8, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,119,039, a decrease of 72,755 from the
preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.2 percent and the volume was 4,107,719.
Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington during the week ending March 1.
53 states reported that 736,765 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending March 1.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,200 in the week ending March 8, an increase of 63 from the prior week. There were 1,452 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 120 from the preceding week.
There were 17,850 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 1, a decrease of 1,968 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 19,708, a decrease of 940 from the prior week.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending March 1 were in Alaska (7.0 percent), Pennsylvania (5.3), Idaho (5.1), Oregon (5.1), Puerto Rico (4.9), Washington (4.7), Wisconsin (4.6), Michigan (4.5), Massachusetts (4.3), Rhode Island (4.3), and West Virginia (4.3).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 8 were in Texas (+6,462), Florida (+2,027), Oklahoma (+2,026), Georgia (+1,405), and Oregon (+996), while the largest decreases were in New York (-10,689), Michigan (-4,037), North Carolina (-2,330), New Jersey (-2,062), and
Connecticut (-1,816).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
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Advance |
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Prior1 |
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WEEK ENDING |
March 15 |
March 8 |
Change |
March 1 |
Year |
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Initial Claims (SA) |
421,000 |
425,000 |
-4,000 |
435,000 |
390,000 |
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Initial Claims (NSA) |
383,844 |
413,948 |
-30,104 |
428,889 |
351,855 |
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4-Wk Moving Average (SA) |
424,750 |
421,000 |
+3,750 |
410,000 |
394,250 |
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Advance |
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Prior1 |
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WEEK ENDING |
March 8 |
March 1 |
Change |
Feb. 22 |
Year |
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Ins. Unemployment (SA) |
3,548,000 |
3,482,000 |
+66,000 |
3,483,000 |
3,544,000 |
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Ins. Unemployment (NSA) |
4,119,039 |
4,191,794 |
-72,755 |
4,192,955 |
4,107,719 |
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4-Wk Moving Average (SA) |
3,463,500 |
3,430,750 |
+32,750 |
3,384,000 |
3,526,250 |
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Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 |
2.8% |
2.7% |
+0.1 |
2.7% |
2.8% |
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Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 |
3.2% |
3.3% |
-0.1 |
3.3% |
3.2% |
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
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Federal Employees |
1,200 |
1,137 |
+63 |
918 |
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Newly Discharged Veterans |
1,452 |
1,332 |
+120 |
1,081 |
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
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Federal Employees |
17,850 |
19,818 |
-1,968 |
16,779 |
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Newly Discharged Veterans |
19,708 |
20,648 |
-940 |
15,941 |
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Railroad Retirement Board |
6,000 |
6,000 |
0 |
7,000 |
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Extended Benefits |
17,510 |
17,425 |
+85 |
37,946 |
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Federal (TEUC) |
736,765 |
822,510 |
-85,745 |
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 03/08/2003
STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
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Change |
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State Supplied Comment |
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NY |
-10,689 |
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Decrease due to schools returning to session after spring break. |
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MI |
-4,037 |
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Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry. |
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NC |
-2,330 |
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Fewer layoffs in the construction and apparel industries. |
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NJ |
-2,062 |
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Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, real estate, and manufacturing industries. |
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CT |
-1,816 |
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No comment. |
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KS |
-1,421 |
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Fewer layoffs in the information and manufacturing industries. |
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MO |
-1,389 |
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Fewer layoffs in the construction and electrical machinery industries. |
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IL |
-1,084 |
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Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries. |
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
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GA |
+1,405 |
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Layoffs in the carpets/rugs industry. |
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OK |
+2,026 |
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No comment. |
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FL |
+2,027 |
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Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries. |
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TX |
+6,462 |
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Layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries. |
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
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