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News Release

ETA Press Release:
Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 02-103
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Thomas Stengle (202) 693-2991 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED Media 8:30 A.M. (EST), THURSDAY
(202) 693-3900  February  28, 2002
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Feb. 23, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 378,000, an increase of 17,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 361,000. The 4-week moving average was 373,250, a decrease of  3,000 from the previous week's revised average of 376,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent for the week ending Feb.  16, unchanged  from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.7 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Feb. 16  was 3,492,000, an increase of 66,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,426,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,445,750, an increase of 3,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,442,000.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 364,308 in the week ending  Feb. 23, a decrease of  12,132 from the previous week. There were 358,294 initial claims in the comparable week in 2001.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.3 percent during the week ending Feb. 16, unchanged  from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,301,647, an increase of 63,394 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.4 percent and the volume was 3,003,453.

Extended benefits were available in Oregon and Washington during the week ending Feb. 9.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,047 in the week ending Feb. 16, a decrease of 127 from the prior week. There were 1,051 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 172 from the preceding week.

There were 18,342 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Feb. 9, a decrease of 742 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 16,625, a decrease of 94 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Feb. 9 were in Alaska (6.2 percent), Oregon (5.4), Washington (5.4), Idaho (5.2), Puerto Rico (5.1), Pennsylvania (4.5), Wisconsin (4.5), Massachusetts (4.4), Michigan (4.3), and Rhode Island (4.2).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Feb. 16 were in Oklahoma (+590), Alaska (+575), Idaho (+541), Louisiana (+402), and Rhode Island (+118), while the largest decreases were in California (-8,817), Illinois (-6,590), Michigan (-5,114), Ohio (-3,634), and Pennsylvania (-3,394).


UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS


Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Feb. 23 Feb. 16 Change Feb. 9 Year

Initial Claims (SA) 378,000 361,000 +17,000 373,000 374,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 364,308 376,440 -12,132 438,614 358,294
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 373,250 376,250 -3,000 376,000 353,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Feb. 16 Feb. 9 Change Feb. 2 Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,492,000 3,426,000 +66,000 3,458,000 2,450,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 4,301,647 4,238,253 +63,394 4,347,243 3,003,453
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,445,750 3,442,000 +3,750 3,424,250 2,399,750

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.7% 2.7% 0.0 2.7% 1.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 3.3% 3.3% 0.0 3.4% 2.4%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING

Feb. 16 

Feb. 9 

Change
Year

Federal Employees 1,047 1,174 -127 1,247
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,051 1,223 -172 1,030

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1
WEEK ENDING

Feb. 9  

Feb. 2 

Change
Year

Federal Employees 18,342 19,084 -742 24,844
Newly Discharged Veterans 16,625 16,719 -94 13,488
Railroad Retirement Board 8,000 8,000 0 8,000
Extended Benefits 33,773 32,302 +1,471 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 128,673,493 as denominator.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 02/16/2002


STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000


State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -8,817 No comment.
IL -6,590 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing, service, and construction industries.
MI -5,114 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
OH -3,634 No comment.
PA -3,394 Fewer layoffs in the construction, printing/publishing, primary/fabricated metals, electrical equipment, and service industries.
NY -3,354 No comment.
NJ -2,490 Fewer layoffs in the wholesale trade, service, transportation, communications, public utilities, and construction industries.
TX -2,477 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing, information, and service industries.
MO -2,306 Fewer layoffs in the construction, public utilities, service, retail trade, and fabricated metals industries.
WI -1,898 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing, construction, service, retail trade, and wholesale trade industries.
MN -1,873 Fewer layoffs in the construction and mining industries.
KS -1,677 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing, trade, transportation, communications, and public utilities industries.
NC -1,617 No comment.
VA -1,579 Fewer layoffs in the electrical equipment, textile, and furniture industries.
WA -1,569 No comment.
MA -1,367 No comment.
FL -1,334 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing, trade, and service industries, and agriculture.
MD -1,216 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing, retail trade, and communications industries.
AL -1,131 Fewer layoffs in the service and lumber/wood industries.
IN -1,031 Fewer layoffs in the transportation equipment, furniture, and service industries.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000


None



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