SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending March 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 397,000, an increase of 26,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 371,000. The 4-week moving average was 392,250, an increase of 3,000 from the previous week's revised average of 389,250.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent for the week ending Feb. 26, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.0 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Feb.26 was 3,771,000, a decrease of 20,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,791,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,833,250, a decrease of 34,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,868,000.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 406,096 in the week ending March 5, an increase of 52,147 from the previous week. There were 459,523 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5 percent during the week ending Feb. 26, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,442,438, an increase of 97,576 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 4.3 percent and the volume was 5,538,966.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending Feb 19 was 8,772,818.
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 19.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,496 in the week ending Feb. 26, a decrease of 301 from the prior week. There were 2,075 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 218 from the preceding week.
There were 41,142 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Feb. 19, a decrease of 5,156 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 39,176, a decrease of 1,394 from the prior week.
States reported 3,600,522 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Feb. 19, a decrease of 52,745 from the prior week. There were 5,527,451 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. 19 were in Alaska (7.0 percent), Idaho (5.2), Montana (5.1), Puerto Rico (5.1), Oregon (5.0), Rhode Island (5.0), Pennsylvania (4.9), Wisconsin (4.9), New Jersey (4.7), and Connecticut (4.6).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Feb. 26 were in Massachusetts (+3,804), Washington (+976), Rhode Island (+776), Connecticut (+682), and Florida (+651), while the largest decreases were in California (-12,730), Illinois (-2,430), Missouri (-2,255), Texas (-1,707), and Tennessee (-1,515).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS WEEK ENDING Advance March 5 Feb. 26 Change Feb. 19 Prior Year1 Initial Claims (SA) 397,000 371,000 +26,000 388,000 451,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 406,096 353,949 +52,147 380,985 459,523 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 392,250 389,250 +3,000 401,250 470,500 WEEK ENDING Advance Feb. 26 Feb. 19 Change Feb. 12 Prior Year1 Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,771,000 3,791,000 -20,000 3,833,000 4,694,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 4,442,438 4,344,862 +97,576 4,587,740 5,538,966 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,833,250 3,868,000 -34,750 3,904,250 4,761,500 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 3.0% 3.0% 0.0 3.1% 3.6% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 3.5% 3.5% 0.0 3.7% 4.3% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING Feb. 26 Feb. 19 Change Prior Year1 Federal Employees 1,496 1,797 -301 1,301 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,075 2,293 -218 2,358 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING Feb. 19 Feb. 12 Change Prior Year1 Regular State 4,332,547 4,570,539 -237,992 5,573,139 Federal Employees (UCFE) 41,142 46,308 -5,166 22,968 Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 39,176 40,570 -1,394 36,631 EUC 20083 3,600,522 3,653,267 -52,745 5,527,451 Extended Benefits4 702,604 850,372 -147,768 167,086 State Additional Benefits 5 8,195 8,186 +9 2,089 STC / Workshare 6 48,632 66,927 -18,295 90,949 TOTAL 8,772,818 9,236,169 -463,351 11,420,313 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.xls4 - 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 02/26/2011 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment CA -12,730 A shorter workweek.
IL -2,430 A shorter workweek.
MO -2,255 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
TX -1,707 A shorter workweek, as well as fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
TN -1,515 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and transportation industries.
NY -1,293 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
GA -1,249 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
PA -1,169 Fewer layoffs in the transportation and service industries.
NC -1,038 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and stone/clay/glass industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment MA +3,804 Seasonal increase due to school vacation, in transportation and service 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/
