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EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION

USDL 09-333-NAT

 

 

 

 

Program Contact:

TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS

Scott Gibbons (202) 693-3008

RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL

Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176

8:30 A.M. (EDT), THURSDAY

Media Contact :

April 2, 2009

(202) 693-4676

 

 

 

 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending March 28, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 669,000, an increase of 12,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 657,000. The 4-week moving average was 656,750, an increase of 6,500 from the previous week's revised average of 650,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.3 percent for the week ending March 21, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.2 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 21 was 5,728,000, an increase of 161,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 5,567,000. The 4-week moving average was 5,496,500, an increase of 163,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 5,333,000.  

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 4.700 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 594,464 in the week ending March 28, an increase of 4,397 from the previous week. There were 341,846 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.8 percent during the week ending March 21, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 6,369,289, a decrease of 71,241 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.4 percent and the volume was 3,235,768.

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Washington, and Wisconsin during the week ending March 14.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,053 in the week ending March 21, a decrease of 45 from the prior week. There were 1,664 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 175 from the preceding week.

There were 19,599 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 14, an increase of 921 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 28,706, a decrease of 353 from the prior week.

States reported 1,515,094 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending March 14, an increase of 46,427 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending March 14 were in Michigan (8.1 percent), Oregon (7.7), Rhode Island (7.3), Idaho (7.2), Pennsylvania (7.0), Wisconsin (6.8), Nevada (6.3), Montana (6.1), Alaska (6.0), and Vermont (6.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 21 were in California (+6,720), Missouri (+2,942), Kansas (+2,018), Oklahoma (+1,406), and Iowa (+1,134), while the largest decreases were in Texas (-4,822), New York (-3,172), Tennessee (-2,707), Illinois (-1,485), and Virginia (-1,407).


UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS


 

Advance

 

 

 

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

March 28

March 21

Change

March 14

Year


Initial Claims (SA)

669,000

657,000

+12,000

644,000

389,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

594,464

590,067

+4,397

601,193

341,846

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

656,750

650,250

+6,500

650,000

367,750

 

Advance

 

 

 

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

March 21

March 14

Change

March 7

Year


Ins. Unemployment (SA)

5,728,000

5,567,000

+161,000

5,438,000

2,926,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

6,369,289

6,440,530

-71,241

6,357,336

3,235,768

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

5,496,500

5,333,000

+163,500

5,207,500

2,842,500


Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

4.3%

4.2%

+0.1

4.1%

2.2%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

4.8%

4.8%

0.0

4.7%

2.4%


INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)


 

 

 

 

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

March 21

March 14

Change

Year


Federal Employees

1,053

1,098

-45

763

Newly Discharged Veterans

1,664

1,839

-175

1,274


PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)


 

 

 

 

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

March 14

March 7

Change

Year


Federal Employees

19,599

18,678

+921

15,445

Newly Discharged Veterans

28,706

29,059

-353

22,158

Railroad Retirement Board

10,000

10,000

0

3,000

Extended Benefits

7,381

6,642

+739

0

EUC 2008

1,515,094

1,468,667

+46,427

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 133,886,830 as denominator.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 03/21/2009 


STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 


State

Change

 

State Supplied Comment

TX

-4,822

 

Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, transportation, and manufacturing industries.

NY

-3,172

 

Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.

TN

-2,707

 

Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

IL

-1,485

 

Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

VA

-1,407

 

Fewer layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.

PA

-1,232

 

Fewer layoffs in the primary metals, mining, machinery, and service industries.

NC

-1,193

 

Fewer layoffs in the construction industry.


STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 


State

Change

 

State Supplied Comment

IA

+1,134

 

Layoffs in the finance and manufacturing industries.

OK

+1,406

 

No comment.

KS

+2,018

 

No comment.

MO

+2,942

 

Layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, and manufacturing industries.

CA

+6,720

 

Layoffs in the construction and service industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current


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