SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending April 7, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 380,000, an increase of 13,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 367,000. The 4-week moving average was 368,500, an increase of 4,250 from the previous week's revised average of 364,250.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending March 31, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.6 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 31 was 3,251,000, a decrease of 98,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,349,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,334,250, a decrease of 35,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,370,000.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 381,875 in the week ending April 7, an increase of 62,530 from the previous week. There were 448,029 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent during the week ending March 31, a decrease of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.9 percent. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,448,994, a decrease of 187,712 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.1 percent and the volume was 3,943,591.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending March 24 was 6,952,876, a decrease of 97,833 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 March 24.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,157 in the week ending March 31, a decrease of 6 from the prior week. There were 2,274 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 147 from the preceding week.
There were 23,068 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 24, a decrease of 726 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 41,560, a decrease of 110 from the prior week.
States reported 2,794,553 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending March 24, a decrease of 20,555 from the prior week. There were 3,550,786 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 March 24 were in Alaska (5.8), Pennsylvania (4.3), Oregon (4.2), Montana (4.0),New Jersey (4.0), Puerto Rico (4.0), Rhode Island (4.0), California (3.9), Wisconsin (3.9), Connecticut (3.8), Idaho (3.8), and Illinois (3.8).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 31 were in Oregon (+2,079), Pennsylvania (+1,866), Illinois (+1,024), New Jersey (+725), and Alabama (+541), while the largest decreases were in Texas (-1,633), Florida (-1,556), New York (-1,216), Puerto Rico (-928), and Missouri (-754).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS WEEK ENDING Advance April 7 March 31 Change March 24 Prior Year1 Initial Claims (SA) 380,000 367,000 +13,000 363,000 416,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 381,875 319,345 +62,530 323,373 448,029 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 368,500 364,250 +4,250 366,000 406,000 WEEK ENDING Advance March 31 March 24 Change March 17 Prior Year1 Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,251,000 3,349,000 -98,000 3,354,000 3,742,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,448,994 3,636,706 -187,712 3,699,473 3,943,591 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,334,250 3,370,000 -35,750 3,391,750 3,767,250 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.6% 2.6% 0.0 2.6% 3.0% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.7% 2.9% -0.2 2.9% 3.1% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING March 31 March 24 Change Prior Year1 Federal Employees 1,157 1,163 -6 1,642 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,274 2,421 -147 2,187 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING March 24 March 17 Change Prior Year1 Regular State 3,627,987 3,691,340 -63,353 4,074,425 Federal Employees (UCFE) 23,068 23,794 -726 37,812 Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 41,560 41,670 -110 38,182 EUC 20083 2,794,553 2,815,108 -20,555 3,550,786 Extended Benefits4 426,907 440,660 -13,753 760,402 State Additional Benefits 5 4,769 4,843 -74 8,650 STC / Workshare 6 34,032 33,294 +738 47,288 TOTAL 6,952,876 7,050,709 -97,833 8,517,545 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 03/31/2012 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment TX -1,633 No comment.
FL -1,556 Fewer layoffs in the service, trade, construction, manufacturing, and retail industries.
NY -1,216 Fewer layoffs in the food service, construction, professional, scientific, and technical service industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment OR +2,079 Increase is due to quarter change.
PA +1,866 Layoffs in the construction, food and beverage manufacturing, plastic and rubber manufacturing, and trade industries.
IL +1,024 Layoffs in the construction, administrative service, and trade 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/
