EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION |
USDL 03-141 |
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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 27, 2003 |
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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending March 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 402,000, a decrease of 25,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 427,000. The 4-week moving average was 422,500, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised average of
426,500.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent for the week ending March 15, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.8 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 15 was 3,521,000, a decrease of 7,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,528,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,503,250, an increase of 45,000 from the preceding week's revised
average of 3,458,250.
UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 356,870 in the week ending March 22, a decrease of 32,213 from the previous week. There were 366,542 initial claims in the comparable week in 2002.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.2 percent during the week ending March 15, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,095,301, a decrease of 765 from the preceding week. A year earlier,
the rate was 3.2 percent and the volume was 4,142,493.
Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington during the week ending March 8.
53 states reported that 790,691 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending March 8.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,073 in the week ending March 15, a decrease of 129 from the prior week. There were 1,231 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 224 from the preceding week.
There were 18,701 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 8, an increase of 853 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 19,715, an increase of 7 from the prior week.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending March 8 were in Alaska (6.7 percent), Puerto Rico (5.6), Oregon (5.1), Idaho (4.9), Pennsylvania (4.7), Washington (4.6), Wisconsin (4.6), Michigan (4.4), Massachusetts (4.2), and Rhode Island (4.2).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 15 were in Michigan (+6,986), Texas (+1,868), Georgia (+805), Iowa (+550), and Washington (+494), while the largest decreases were in California (-5,182), Pennsylvania (-3,946), Virginia (-2,523), Missouri (-2,497), and Arkansas
(-1,888).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
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Advance |
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Prior1 |
WEEK ENDING |
March 22 |
March 15 |
Change |
March 8 |
Year |
Initial Claims (SA) |
402,000 |
427,000 |
-25,000 |
426,000 |
414,000 |
Initial Claims (NSA) |
356,870 |
389,083 |
-32,213 |
414,188 |
366,542 |
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) |
422,500 |
426,500 |
-4,000 |
421,250 |
398,750 |
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Advance |
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Prior1 |
WEEK ENDING |
March 15 |
March 8 |
Change |
March 1 |
Year |
Ins. Unemployment (SA) |
3,521,000 |
3,528,000 |
-7,000 |
3,481,000 |
3,580,000 |
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) |
4,095,301 |
4,096,066 |
-765 |
4,191,412 |
4,142,493 |
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) |
3,503,250 |
3,458,250 |
+45,000 |
3,430,500 |
3,544,000 |
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 |
2.8% |
2.8% |
0.0 |
2.7% |
2.8% |
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 |
3.2% |
3.2% |
0.0 |
3.3% |
3.2% |
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Federal Employees |
1,073 |
1,202 |
-129 |
981 |
Newly Discharged Veterans |
1,231 |
1,455 |
-224 |
980 |
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Federal Employees |
18,701 |
17,848 |
+853 |
16,831 |
Newly Discharged Veterans |
19,715 |
19,708 |
+7 |
15,859 |
Railroad Retirement Board |
6,000 |
6,000 |
0 |
7,000 |
Extended Benefits |
17,843 |
17,510 |
+333 |
42,357 |
Federal (TEUC) |
790,691 |
736,765 |
+53,926 |
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 03/15/2003
STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
State |
Change |
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State Supplied Comment |
CA |
-5,182 |
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Fewer layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries. |
PA |
-3,946 |
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Fewer layoffs in the construction, lumber/wood, stone/clay/glass, furniture, industrial machinery, transportation, trade, and service industries. |
VA |
-2,523 |
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Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry. |
MO |
-2,497 |
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Fewer layoffs in the construction industry. |
AR |
-1,888 |
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No comment. |
NY |
-1,840 |
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No comment. |
MA |
-1,496 |
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No comment. |
FL |
-1,444 |
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Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries. |
KY |
-1,383 |
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No comment. |
OK |
-1,281 |
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No comment. |
OH |
-1,169 |
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No comment. |
TN |
-1,158 |
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Fewer layoffs in the electronic equipment, furniture, industrial machinery, fabricated metals, and service industries. |
CO |
-1,151 |
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No comment. |
SC |
-1,091 |
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Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry. |
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
TX |
+1,868 |
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Layoffs in the construction, insurance, and manufacturing industries. |
MI |
+6,986 |
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Layoffs in the automobile industry. |
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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