SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending March 27, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 439,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 445,000. The 4-week moving average was 447,250, a decrease of 6,750 from the previous week's revised average of 454,000.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.6 percent for the week ending March 20, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.6 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 20 was 4,662,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,668,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,679,500, a decrease of 12,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,692,000.
The fiscal year-to-date average of seasonally adjusted weekly insured unemployment, which corresponds to the appropriated AWIU trigger, was 5.259 million. The increase in this number is attributable to the implementation of new seasonal factors.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 404,869 in the week ending March 27, a decrease of 3,784 from the previous week. There were 599,299 initial claims in the comparable week in 2009.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.0 percent during the week ending March 20, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 5,174,470, a decrease of 170,152 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 4.8 percent and the volume was 6,388,414.
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, Missouri, 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 March 13.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,263 in the week ending March 20, an increase of 42 from the prior week. There were 2,181 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 90 from the preceding week.
There were 22,801 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 13, an increase of 564 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 36,171, a decrease of 195 from the prior week.
States reported 5,894,337 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending March 13, an increase of 267,012 from the prior week. There were 2,172,852 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 March 13 were in Alaska (7.2 percent), Puerto Rico (6.4), Oregon (6.1), Pennsylvania (6.0), Wisconsin (5.9), Idaho (5.8), Montana (5.8), Michigan (5.5), Nevada (5.5), and Rhode Island (5.3).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 20 were in Illinois (+1,396), Oklahoma (+1,152), Missouri (+792), South Carolina (+395), and New Mexico (+303), while the largest decreases were in California (-5,180), Pennsylvania (-3,677), North Carolina (-2,733), New Jersey (-2,521), and Michigan (-1,644).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING March 27 March 20 Change March 13 Year Initial Claims (SA) 439,000 445,000 -6,000 454,000 651,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 404,869 408,653 -3,784 434,424 599,299 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 447,250 454,000 -6,750 464,250 642,750 Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING March 20 March 13 Change March 6 Year Ins. Unemployment (SA) 4,662,000 4,668,000 -6,000 4,694,000 5,776,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 5,174,470 5,344,622 -170,152 5,393,589 6,388,414 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 4,679,500 4,692,000 -12,500 4,723,500 5,587,750 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 3.6% 3.6% 0.0 3.6% 4.3% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 4.0% 4.1% -0.1 4.1% 4.8% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING March 20 March 13 Change Year Federal Employees 1,263 1,221 +42 1,053 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,181 2,271 -90 1,664 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING March 13 March 6 Change Year Federal Employees 22,801 22,237 +564 19,598 Newly Discharged Veterans 36,171 36,366 -195 28,670 Railroad Retirement Board 10,000 10,000 0 9,000 Extended Benefits 136,990 140,003 -3,013 15,504 EUC 20083 5,894,337 5,627,325 +267,012 2,172,852 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 03/20/2010 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment CA -5,180 Fewer layoffs in the construction industry.
PA -3,677 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and transportation industries.
NC -2,733 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and furniture industries.
NJ -2,521 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
MI -1,644 No comment.
OH -1,623 No comment.
IN -1,504 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
FL -1,433 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
TX -1,366 Fewer layoffs in the service, finance, and manufacturing industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment OK +1,152 No comment.
IL +1,396 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.
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/
