SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending March 10, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 351,000, a decrease of 14,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 365,000. The 4-week moving average was 355,750, unchanged from the previous week's revised average of 355,750.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending March 3, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.7 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Mach 3, was 3,343,000, a decrease of 81,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,424,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,394,250, a decrease of 25,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,419,500.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 337,713 in the week ending March 10, a decrease of 30,719 from the previous week. There were 371,721 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent during the week ending March 3, a decrease of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 3.2 percent. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,841,622, a decrease of 147,268 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.4 percent and the volume was 4,296,805.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending February 25 was 7,424,040, an increase of 36,392 from the previous week.
Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending February 25.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,302 in the week ending March 3, an increase of 166 from the prior week. There were 2,713 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 427 from the preceding week.
There were 27,457 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Feb. 25, an increase of 307 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 42,049, an increase of 455 from the prior week.
States reported 2,875,795 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Feb. 25, a decrease of 53,415 from the prior week. There were 3,541,942 claimants in the comparable week in 2011. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending February 25 were in Alaska (6.2), Rhode Island (5.0), Pennsylvania (4.8), Montana (4.6), Idaho (4.4), New Jersey (4.4), Oregon (4.4), Wisconsin (4.4), Connecticut (4.3), and Puerto Rico (4.3).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 3 were in New York (+16,478), California (+4,320), Pennsylvania (+2,859), Texas (+2,116), and Virginia (+1,554), while the largest decreases were in Massachusetts (-2,974), Rhode Island (-1,071), New Jersey (-1,034), Puerto Rico (-562), and Kentucky (-284).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS WEEK ENDING Advance March 10 March 3 Change Feb. 25 Prior Year1 Initial Claims (SA) 351,000 365,000 -14,000 354,000 390,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 337,713 368,432 -30,719 334,241 371,721 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 355,750 355,750 0 354,750 388,500 WEEK ENDING Advance March 3 Feb. 25 Change Feb. 18 Prior Year1 Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,343,000 3,424,000 -81,000 3,406,000 3,763,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,841,622 3,988,890 -147,268 3,882,525 4,296,805 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,394,250 3,419,500 -25,250 3,445,000 3,819,750 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.6% 2.7% -0.1 2.7% 3.0% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 3.0% 3.2% -0.2 3.1% 3.4% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING March 3 Feb. 25 Change Prior Year1 Federal Employees 1,302 1,136 +166 1,927 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,713 2,286 +427 2,495 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING February 25 February 18 Change Prior Year1 Regular State 3,977,892 3,873,355 +104,537 4,445,578 Federal Employees (UCFE) 27,457 27,150 +307 43,694 Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 42,049 41,594 +455 40,111 EUC 20083 2,875,795 2,929,210 -53,415 3,541,942 Extended Benefits4 453,300 473,762 -20,462 815,191 State Additional Benefits 5 4,770 6,960 -2,190 8,286 STC / Workshare 6 42,777 35,617 +7,160 58,630 TOTAL 7,424,040 7,387,648 +36,392 8,953,432 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 126,579,970 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 paid, 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 03/03/2012 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment MA -2,974 Fewer layoffs in the school bus transportation and food service industries.
RI -1,071 Fewer layoffs in the business service and manufacturing industries.
NJ -1,034 Fewer layoffs in the retail, accommodation and food service, and manufacturing industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment NY +16,478 Layoffs in the transportation, educational service, and food service industries.
CA +4,320 Layoffs in the service industry.
PA +2,859 Layoffs in the food service, entertainment, lodging, professional, scientific and technology service, and healthcare industries.
TX +2,116 No comment.
VA +1,554 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
IL +1,300 Layoffs in the construction, administrative support service, and trade industries.
OR +1,026 No comment.
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/
