SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending April 2, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 382,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 392,000. The 4-week moving average was 389,500, a decrease of 5,750 from the previous week's revised average of 395,250.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent for the week ending March 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 March 26 was 3,723,000, a decrease of 9,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,732,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,745,750, a decrease of 24,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,769,750.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 350,667 in the week ending April 2, a decrease of 6,790 from the previous week. There were 421,130 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.2 percent during the week ending March 26, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,069,327, a decrease of 61,739 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.9 percent and the volume was 5,055,002.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending March 19 was 8,524,455.
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 March 19.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,487 in the week ending March 26, a decrease of 79 from the prior week. There were 2,306 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 196 from the preceding week.
There were 36,787 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 19, a decrease of 3,377 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 38,663, an increase of 12 from the prior week.
States reported 3,563,031 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending March 19, a decrease of 25,785 from the prior week. There were 5,590,944 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 March 19 were in Alaska (6.5 percent), Puerto Rico (4.9), Idaho (4.7), Oregon (4.7), Rhode Island (4.7), Pennsylvania (4.6), Wisconsin (4.6), Montana (4.5), Connecticut (4.4), New Jersey (4.4), and California (4.3).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 26 were in Texas (+3,866), California (+3,580), Oregon (2,785), New Jersey (+926), Arkansas (+873), while the largest decreases were in North Carolina (-3,137), Massachusetts (-2,251), Florida (-1,151), Georgia (-1,141), and Oklahoma (-689).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS WEEK ENDING Advance April 2 March 26 Change March 19 Prior Year1 Initial Claims (SA) 382,000 392,000 -10,000 394,000 472,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 350,667 357,457 -6,790 354,457 421,130 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 389,500 395,250 -5,750 391,000 462,000 WEEK ENDING Advance March 26 March 19 Change March 12 Prior Year1 Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,723,000 3,732,000 -9,000 3,765,000 4,629,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 4,069,327 4,131,066 -61,739 4,277,092 5,055,002 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,745,750 3,769,750 -24,000 3,798,000 4,707,000 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 3.0% 3.0% 0 3.0% 3.6% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 3.2% 3.3% -0.1 3.4% 3.9% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING March 26 March 19 Change Prior Year1 Federal Employees 1,487 1,566 -79 1,219 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,306 2,110 +196 2,380 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING March 19 March 12 Change Prior Year1 Regular State 4,118,230 4,262,025 -143,795 5,186,920 Federal Employees (UCFE) 36,787 40,164 -3,377 21,260 Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 38,663 38,651 +12 37,027 EUC 20083 3,563,031 3,588,816 -25,785 5,590,944 Extended Benefits4 708,079 773,721 -65,642 148,031 State Additional Benefits 5 7,778 8,130 -352 2,001 STC / Workshare 6 51,887 58,936 -7,049 80,913 TOTAL 8,524,455 8,770,443 -245,988 11,067,096 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 03/26/2011 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment NC -3,137 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
MA -2,251 No comment.
FL -1,151 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service,,and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
GA -1,141 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment OR +2,785 No comment.
CA +3,580 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry, agriculture, forestry, and fishing.
TX +3,866 Layoffs in the trade, service, 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/
