SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending March 6, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 462,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 468,000. The 4-week moving average was 475,500, an increase of 5,000 from the previous week's revised average of 470,500.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5 percent for the week ending Feb. 27, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.5 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Feb. 27 was 4,558,000, an increase of 37,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,521,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,581,000, unchanged from the preceding week's revised average of 4,581,000.
The fiscal year-to-date average of seasonally adjusted weekly insured unemployment, which corresponds to the appropriated AWIU trigger, was 5.170 million.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 460,287 in the week ending March 6, a decrease of 10,969 from the previous week. There were 652,636 initial claims in the comparable week in 2009.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.2 percent during the week ending Feb. 27, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 5,528,856, a decrease of 68,281 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 4.8 percent and the volume was 6,361,354.
Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending Feb. 20.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,290 in the week ending Feb. 27, an increase of 93 from the prior week. There were 2,335 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 388 from the preceding week.
There were 22,955 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Feb. 20, a decrease of 822 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 36,585, an increase of 1,113 from the prior week.
States reported 5,527,925 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Feb. 20, a decrease of 159,649 from the prior week. There were 2,068,413 claimants in the comparable week in 2009. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Feb. 20 were in Alaska (7.4 percent), Oregon (6.4), Idaho (6.3), Pennsylvania (6.2), Wisconsin (6.2), Montana (6.1), Puerto Rico (6.0), Michigan (5.7), Nevada (5.6), and Rhode Island (5.6).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Feb. 27 were in California (+16,112), New York (+12,263), Florida (+2,516), Texas (+1,440), and Nevada (+947), while the largest decreases were in Pennsylvania (-4,772), Massachusetts (-4,504), New Jersey (-3,972), Kentucky (-3,633), and Missouri (-1,661).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING March 6 Feb. 27 Change Feb. 20 Year Initial Claims (SA) 462,000 468,000 -6,000 498,000 657,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 460,287 471,256 -10,969 454,492 652,636 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 475,500 470,500 +5,000 474,250 646,750 Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING Feb. 27 Feb. 20 Change Feb. 13 Year Ins. Unemployment (SA) 4,558,000 4,521,000 +37,000 4,634,000 5,253,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 5,528,856 5,597,137 -68,281 5,546,408 6,361,354 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 4,581,000 4,581,000 0 4,605,000 5,085,000 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 3.5% 3.5% 0.0 3.6% 3.9% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 4.2% 4.3% -0.1 4.3% 4.8% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING Feb. 27 Feb. 20 Change Year Federal Employees 1,290 1,197 +93 1,179 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,335 1,947 +388 1,949 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING Feb. 20 Feb. 13 Change Year Federal Employees 22,955 23,777 -822 19,151 Newly Discharged Veterans 36,585 35,472 +1,113 28,653 Railroad Retirement Board 11,000 11,000 0 9,000 Extended Benefits 163,291 178,472 -15,181 3,938 EUC 20083 5,527,925 5,687,574 -159,649 2,068,413 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 130,128,328 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.
UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 02/27/2010 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment PA -4,772 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, transportation, and industrial machinery industries.
MA -4,504 No comment.
NJ -3,972 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, transportation, and warehousing industries.
KY -3,633 Fewer layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
MO -1,661 Fewer layoffs in the construction industry.
MD -1,363 No comment.
AL -1,095 Fewer layoffs in the construction industry, and agriculture, forestry, and fishing.
IA -1,070 Fewer layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment TX +1,440 Layoffs in the trade and service industries.
FL +2,516 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
NY +12,263 Layoffs in the transportation and service industries.
CA +16,112 Return to a five day workweek, as well as layoffs in the service industry.
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/
