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EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION

USDL 09-308-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 :

March 26, 2009

(202) 693-4676

 

Note: This week's release reflects the annual revision to the weekly unemployment claims seasonal adjustment factors. The historical factors from 2004 forward have been revised. The calendar year 2009 factors can be accessed at the following link: http://www.ows.doleta.gov/press/2009/032609.asp

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending March 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 652,000, an increase of 8,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 644,000. The 4-week moving average was 649,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's revised average of 650,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.2 percent for the week ending March 14, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.1 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 14 was 5,560,000, an increase of 122,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 5,438,000. The 4-week moving average was 5,331,250, an increase of 123,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 5,207,500.  

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 4.646 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 585,897 in the week ending March 21, a decrease of 15,266 from the previous week. There were 316,598 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.8 percent during the week ending March 14, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 6,433,406, an increase of 76,204 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.4 percent and the volume was 3,254,650.

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin during the week ending March 7.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,113 in the week ending March 14, a decrease of 84 from the prior week. There were 1,836 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 240 from the preceding week.

There were 18,713 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 7, a decrease of 1,192 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 29,061, an increase of 225 from the prior week.

States reported 1,468,667 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending March 7, a decrease of 20,247 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending March 7 were in Michigan (7.8 percent), Oregon (7.6), Idaho (7.2), Wisconsin (6.8), Pennsylvania (6.5), Rhode Island (6.5), Nevada (6.2), Montana (6.0), Indiana (5.9), and Vermont (5.9).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 14 were in Tennessee (+1,394), Texas (+1,028), Rhode Island (+904), North Dakota (+857), and Connecticut (+522), while the largest decreases were in California (-8,555), Michigan (-7,523), Indiana (-7,475), Pennsylvania (-3,757), and Ohio (-3,397).


UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS


 

Advance

 

 

 

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

March 21

March 14

Change

March 7

Year


Initial Claims (SA)

652,000

644,000

+8,000

657,000

367,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

585,897

601,163

-15,266

652,636

316,598

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

649,000

650,000

-1,000

646,750

356,500

 

Advance

 

 

 

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

March 14

March 7

Change

Feb. 28

Year


Ins. Unemployment (SA)

5,560,000

5,438,000

+122,000

5,253,000

2,835,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

6,433,406

6,357,202

+76,204

6,361,354

3,254,650

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

5,331,250

5,207,500

+123,750

5,085,000

2,805,500


Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

4.2%

4.1%

+0.1

3.9%

2.1%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

4.8%

4.7%

+0.1

4.8%

2.4%


INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)


 

 

 

 

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

March 14

March 7

Change

Year


Federal Employees

1,113

1,197

-84

844

Newly Discharged Veterans

1,836

2,076

-240

1,422


PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)


 

 

 

 

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

March 7

Feb. 28

Change

Year


Federal Employees

18,713

19,905

-1,192

14,582

Newly Discharged Veterans

29,061

28,836

+225

22,415

Railroad Retirement Board

9,000

9,000

0

3,000

Extended Benefits

6,642

4,843

+1,799

0

EUC 2008

1,468,667

1,488,914

-20,247

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 03/14/2009 


STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 


State

Change

 

State Supplied Comment

CA

-8,555

 

Fewer layoffs in the construction and service industries.

MI

-7,523

 

Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.

IN

-7,475

 

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

PA

-3,757

 

Fewer layoffs in the service and fabricated metals industries.

OH

-3,397

 

No comment.

AL

-2,724

 

Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.

OR

-2,270

 

No comment.

NC

-2,251

 

Fewer layoffs in the transportation equipment, industrial machinery, computer equipment, and textile industries.

NY

-2,216

 

Fewer layoffs in the service, finance, and insurance industries.

GA

-2,159

 

Fewer layoffs in the service and textile industries.

WA

-2,121

 

No comment.

WI

-1,664

 

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

SC

-1,599

 

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

NJ

-1,334

 

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

MD

-1,182

 

No comment.


STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 


State

Change

 

State Supplied Comment

TX

+1,028

 

Layoffs in the service, finance, and manufacturing industries.

TN

+1,394

 

Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

State Detail Prior Week

UI Claims Series 1967 to current

Updated Weekly Seasonal Adjustment Factors -- ASCII text format

Updated Weekly Seasonal Adjustment Factors -- Microsoft Excel format


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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