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EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION

USDL 09-163-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. (EST), THURSDAY

Media Contact :

February 19, 2009

(202) 693-4676

 

 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Feb. 14, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 627,000, unchanged from the previous week's revised figure of 627,000. The 4-week moving average was 619,000, an increase of 10,500 from the previous week's revised average of 608,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.7 percent for the week ending Feb. 7, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.6 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Feb. 7 was 4,987,000, an increase of 170,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,817,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,839,500, an increase of 92,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,747,000.  

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 615,232 in the week ending Feb. 14, a decrease of 94,921 from the previous week. There were 325,754 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.5 percent during the week ending Feb. 7, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 5,959,930, an increase of 10,719 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.5 percent and the volume was 3,315,409.

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, Puerto Rico, and Rhode Island during the week ending Jan. 31.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,483 in the week ending Feb. 7, a decrease of 146 from the prior week. There were 1,998 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 50 from the preceding week.

There were 21,105 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Jan. 31, an increase of 894 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 27,830, a decrease of 106 from the prior week.

States reported 1,551,146 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Jan. 31, an increase of 61,727 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Jan. 31 were in Michigan (8.1 percent), Idaho (7.0), Oregon (7.0), Pennsylvania (6.4), Wisconsin (6.3), Nevada (5.9), Alaska (5.8), Montana (5.6), Rhode Island (5.6), and Indiana (5.5).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Feb. 7 were in Kentucky (+8,419), Arkansas (+4,142), Illinois (+3,630), Texas (+3,392), and Missouri (+3,217), while the largest decreases were in California (-5,249), Tennessee (-1,718), Iowa (-1,413), Connecticut (-1,267), and South Carolina
(-1,059).


UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS


 

Advance

 

 

 

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Feb. 14

Feb. 7

Change

Jan. 31

Year


Initial Claims (SA)

627,000

627,000

0

631,000

342,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

615,232

710,153

-94,921

682,176

325,754

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

619,000

608,500

+10,500

583,500

349,500

 

Advance

 

 

 

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Feb. 7

Jan. 31

Change

Jan. 24

Year


Ins. Unemployment (SA)

4,987,000

4,817,000

+170,000

4,799,000

2,774,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

5,959,930

5,949,211

+10,719

5,806,901

3,315,409

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

4,839,500

4,747,000

+92,500

4,671,500

2,736,250


Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.7%

3.6%

+0.1

3.6%

2.1%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

4.5%

4.4%

+0.1

4.3%

2.5%


INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)


 

 

 

 

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Feb. 7

Jan. 31

Change

Year


Federal Employees

1,483

1,629

-146

1,113

Newly Discharged Veterans

1,998

2,048

-50

1,581


PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)


 

 

 

 

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Jan. 31

Jan. 24

Change

Year


Federal Employees

21,105

20,211

+894

18,750

Newly Discharged Veterans

27,830

27,936

-106

23,488

Railroad Retirement Board

9,000

9,000

0

4,000

Extended Benefits

1,309

17,296

-15,987

0

EUC 2008

1,551,146

1,489,419

+61,727

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 02/07/2009 


STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 


State

Change

 

State Supplied Comment

CA

-5,249

 

Fewer layoffs in the construction and trade industries.

TN

-1,718

 

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

IA

-1,413

 

No comment.

CT

-1,267

 

No comment.

SC

-1,059

 

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.


STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 


State

Change

 

State Supplied Comment

MA

+1,035

 

Layoffs in the trade, service, finance, insurance, and manufacturing industries.

VA

+1,103

 

Layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.

FL

+1,144

 

Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.

KS

+1,187

 

No comment.

MN

+1,227

 

No comment.

PA

+1,514

 

Layoffs in the service and wood products industries.

IN

+1,698

 

Layoffs in the automobile, transportation, and manufacturing industries.

MI

+2,770

 

Layoffs in the automobile industry.

NY

+3,128

 

Layoffs in the service, finance, and insurance industries.

MO

+3,217

 

Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.

TX

+3,392

 

Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

IL

+3,630

 

Layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.

AR

+4,142

 

Layoffs in the trade and manufacturing industries.

KY

+8,419

 

Layoffs in the mining industry.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current



 

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