Skip to content
  ETA Home   ETA_News_Releases>    

News Release

EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION

USDL 11-0267-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 3, 2011

(202) 693-4676

 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Feb. 26, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 368,000, a decrease of 20,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 388,000. The 4-week moving average was 388,500, a decrease of 12,750 from the previous week's revised average of 401,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent for the week ending Feb. 19, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 3.1 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Feb.19 was 3,774,000, a decrease of 59,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,833,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,863,750, a decrease of 40,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,904,250.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 351,076 in the week ending Feb. 26, a decrease of 30,029 from the previous week. There were 471,256 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.4 percent during the week ending Feb. 19, a decrease of 0.3 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,325,502, a decrease of 262,110 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 4.3 percent and the volume was 5,597,500.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending Feb 12 was 9,236,041.

Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, during the week ending Feb 12.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,793 in the week ending Feb. 19, a decrease of 178 from the prior week. There were 2,296 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 56 from the preceding week.

There were 46,303 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Feb. 12, an increase of 714 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 40,570, an increase of 72 from the prior week.

States reported 3,653,267 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Feb. 12, a decrease of 32,094 from the prior week. There were 5,685,912 claimants in the comparable week in 2010. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Feb. 12 were in Alaska (7.0 percent), Montana (5.5), Pennsylvania (5.5), Idaho (5.3), Puerto Rico (5.2), Rhode Island (5.2), Wisconsin (5.1), Oregon (5.0), Illinois (4.8), and New Jersey (4.8).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Feb. 19 were in Illinois (+530), Oregon (+339), Tennessee (+225), Alaska (+191), and Vermont (+186), while the largest decreases were in New York (-4,270), Pennsylvania (-3,842), Wisconsin (-3,163), Kentucky (-2,641), and Florida (-2,613).


UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS


WEEK ENDING

Advance Feb. 26

Feb. 19

Change

Feb. 12

Prior Year1


Initial Claims (SA)

368,000

388,000

-20,000

413,000

466,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

351,076

381,105

-30,029

424,400

471,256

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

388,500

401,250

-12,750

418,500

467,500

WEEK ENDING

Advance Feb. 19

Feb. 12

Change

Feb. 5

Prior Year1


Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,774,000

3,833,000

-59,000

3,938,000

4,712,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

4,325,502

4,587,612

-262,110

4,575,640

5,597,500

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,863,750

3,904,250

-40,500

3,948,250

4,787,000


Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.0%

3.1%

-0.1

3.1%

3.6%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

3.4%

3.7%

-0.3

3.6%

4.3%


INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)


WEEK ENDING

Feb. 19

Feb. 12

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

1,793

1,971

-178

1,212

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,296

2,352

-56

1,959


PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)


WEEK ENDING

Feb. 12

Feb. 5

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

4,570,411

4,559,945

+10,466

5,524,554

Federal Employees (UCFE)

46,303

45,589

+714

23,788

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

40,570

40,498

+72

35,516

EUC 20083

3,653,267

3,685,361

-32,094

5,685,912

Extended Benefits4

850,372

761,683

+88,689

180,308

State Additional Benefits 5

8,191

7,898

+293

2,084

STC / Workshare 6

66,927

60,701

+6,226

84,173

TOTAL

9,236,041

9,161,675

+74,366

11,536,335


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 125,560,066 as denominator.
3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity. Tier-specific EUC data can be found here: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/persons.xls
4 - Information on the EB program can be found here: http://www.ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/extenben.asp
5 - Some states maintain additional benefit programs for those claimants who exhaust regular, extended and emergency benefits. Information on states that participate and the extent of benefits can be  found starting on page 4-5 of this link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf
6 - Information on STC/Worksharing can be found starting on page 4-9 of the following link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 02/19/2011 


STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 


State

Change

 

State Supplied Comment

NY

-4,270

 

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

PA

-3,842

 

Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, transportation equipment, and transportation industries.

WI

-3,163

 

No comment.

KY

-2,641

 

No comment.

FL

-2,613

 

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

NJ

-2,405

 

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

MI

-2,231

 

No comment.

CA

-2,202

 

No comment.

MO

-2,200

 

Fewer layoffs in the construction industry.

IN

-1,931

 

No comment.

GA

-1,535

 

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

MA

-1,531

 

No comment.

OH

-1,477

 

No comment.

OK

-1,246

 

No comment.

AL

-1,182

 

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


STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 


State

Change

 

State Supplied Comment

None

 

 

 

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current


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/