UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Feb. 28, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 639,000, a decrease of 31,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 670,000. The 4-week moving average was 641,750, an increase of 2,000 from the previous week's revised average of 639,750.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.8 percent for the week ending Feb. 21, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.8 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Feb. 21 was 5,106,000, a decrease of 14,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 5,120,000. The 4-week moving average was 5,011,000, an increase of 76,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,934,250.
The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 4.501 million.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 640,601 in the week ending Feb. 28, an increase of 34,933 from the previous week. There were 345,165 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.6 percent during the week ending Feb. 21, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 6,209,294, an increase of 100,896 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.5 percent and the volume was 3,380,987.
Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Idaho, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, Puerto Rico, and Rhode Island during the week ending Feb. 14.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,141 in the week ending Feb. 21, a decrease of 103 from the prior week. There were 1,738 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 203 from the preceding week.
There were 20,002 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Feb. 14, an increase of 443 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 27,909, a decrease of 220 from the prior week.
States reported 1,432,919 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Feb. 14, an increase of 39,085 from the prior week.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Feb. 14 were in Michigan (8.2 percent), Oregon (7.3), Idaho (7.1), Pennsylvania (6.7), Wisconsin (6.5), Rhode Island (6.2), Alaska (6.0), Nevada (6.0), Montana (5.8), and Puerto Rico (5.8).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Feb. 21 were in Illinois (+3,791), Massachusetts (+3,438), Missouri (+3,027), Ohio (+2,731), and California (+2,677), while the largest decreases were in Florida (-3,586), Virginia (-3,490), New York (-3,420), Michigan (-3,373), and New Jersey (-2,266).
Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING Feb. 28 Feb. 21 Change Feb. 14 Year Initial Claims (SA) 639,000 670,000 -31,000 631,000 344,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 640,601 605,668 +34,933 619,951 345,165 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 641,750 639,750 +2,000 620,000 346,000 Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING Feb. 21 Feb. 14 Change Feb. 7 Year Ins. Unemployment (SA) 5,106,000 5,120,000 -14,000 4,998,000 2,808,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 6,209,294 6,108,398 +100,896 5,972,146 3,380,987 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 5,011,000 4,934,250 +76,750 4,843,000 2,755,250 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 3.8% 3.8% 0.0 3.7% 2.1% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 4.6% 4.6% 0.0 4.5% 2.5% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING Feb. 21 Feb. 14 Change Year Federal Employees 1,141 1,244 -103 853 Newly Discharged Veterans 1,738 1,941 -203 1,293 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING Feb. 14 Feb. 7 Change Year Federal Employees 20,002 19,559 +443 17,119 Newly Discharged Veterans 27,909 28,129 -220 22,596 Railroad Retirement Board 8,000 8,000 0 4,000 Extended Benefits 2,766 2,710 +56 0 EUC 2008 1,432,919 1,393,834 +39,085 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 02/21/2009 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment FL -3,586 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
VA -3,490 Fewer layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
NY -3,420 Fewer layoffs in the construction and trade industries.
MI -3,373 Fewer layoffs were reported throughout all industries.
NJ -2,266 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
NC -1,960 Fewer layoffs in the transportation equipment industry.
IN -1,892 Fewer layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
SC -1,762 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
OR -1,461 No comment.
KY -1,263 Fewer layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
KS -1,162 No comment.
MN -1,029 No comment.
TX -1,022 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment NM +1,131 No comment.
OK +1,217 No comment.
IA +1,222 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
CT +2,188 Increase is seasonal, school closings related.
CA +2,677 No comment.
OH +2,731 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
MO +3,027 Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.
MA +3,438 Increase is seasonal, school closings related. Also layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
IL +3,791 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.
State Detail Prior Week UI Claims Series 1967 to current
