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EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION

USDL 12-0404-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 8, 2012

(202) 693-4676

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending March 3, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 362,000, an increase of 8,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 354,000. The 4-week moving average was 355,000, an increase of 250 from the previous week's revised average of 354,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent for the week ending February 25, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending February 25, was 3,416,000, an increase of 10,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,406,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,417,500, a decrease of 27,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,445,000.

 

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 365,754 in the week ending March 3, an increase of 31,513 from the previous week. There were 407,299 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.1 percent during the week ending February 25, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,979,563, an increase of 97,038 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.6 percent and the volume was 4,460,146.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending February 18 was 7,387,648, a decrease of 111,222 from the previous week.

Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending February 18.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,136 in the week ending February 25, a decrease of 133 from the prior week. There were 2,286 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 176 from the preceding week.

There were 27,150 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending February 18, a decrease of 1,520 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 41,594, a decrease of 576 from the prior week.

States reported 2,929,210 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending February 18, an increase of 24,377 from the prior week. There were 3,600,522 claimants in the comparable week in 2011. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending February 18 were in Alaska (6.5), Rhode Island (4.6), Montana (4.5), Wisconsin (4.5), Idaho (4.4), Oregon (4.4), Pennsylvania (4.4), New Jersey (4.2), Puerto Rico (4.2), Massachusetts (4.0), and Michigan (4.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending February 25 were in Massachusetts (+3,475), Rhode Island (+1,275), New Jersey (+1,274), Connecticut (+1,186), and Michigan (+564), while the largest decreases were in California (-4,531), Pennsylvania (-2,238), Texas (-1,535), New York (-1,321), and Florida (-1,124).


UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance March 3

Feb. 25

Change

Feb. 18

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

362,000

354,000

+8,000

353,000

405,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

365,754

334,241

+31,513

346,659

407,299

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

355,000

354,750

+250

359,500

396,000

WEEK ENDING

Advance Feb. 25

Feb. 18

Change

Feb. 11

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,416,000

3,406,000

+10,000

3,404,000

3,819,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

3,979,563

3,882,525

+97,038

4,010,484

4,460,146

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,417,500

3,445,000

-27,500

3,456,250

3,874,500

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

2.7%

2.7%

0.0

2.7%

3.0%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

3.1%

3.1%

0.0

3.2%

3.6%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Feb. 25

Feb. 18

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

1,136

1,269

-133

1,505

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,286

2,462

-176

2,079

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Feb. 18

Feb. 11

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

3,873,355

3,997,789

-124,434

4,332,547

Federal Employees (UCFE)

27,150

28,670

-1,520

41,142

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

41,594

42,170

-576

39,203

EUC 20083

2,929,210

2,904,833

+24,377

3,600,522

Extended Benefits4

473,762

471,371

+2,391

702,604

State Additional Benefits 5

6,960

4,617

+2,343

8,195

STC / Workshare 6

35,617

49,420

-13,803

48,632

TOTAL

7,387,648

7,498,870

-111,222

8,772,845

 

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 126,579,970 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 paid, 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 02/25/2012

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 

State

Change

 

State Supplied Comment

CA

-4,531

 

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing and service industries.

PA

-2,238

 

No comment.

TX

-1,535

 

No comment.

NY

-1,321

 

Fewer layoffs in the health care and social assistance, construction, and retail industries.

FL

-1,124

 

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

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 

State

Change

 

State Supplied Comment

MA

+3,475

 

Claims increase is due to school vacations, with layoffs in the school bus transportation and food service industries.

RI

+1,275

 

Claims increase is due to school vacations, and layoffs in the business services and manufacturing industries.

NJ

+1,274

 

Layoffs in the accommodation and food services, retail, transportation and warehousing, health care and social assistance, and manufacturing industries.

CT

+1,186

 

No comment.

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/