EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 03-02
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Thomas Stengle (202) 693-2991 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Media Contact : 8:30 A.M. (EDT), THURSDAY
(202) 693-4676 January 2, 2003
 

Note:  See Attachment regarding provisional CY 2003 seasonal factors.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending Dec. 28, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 403,000, an increase of 13,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 390,000. The 4-week moving average was 418,750, an increase of  11,250 from the previous week's revised average of 407,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent for the week ending Dec. 21, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.7 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Dec. 21 was 3,418,000, a decrease of 56,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,474,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,410,500, a decrease of 10,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,420,750.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 612,829 in the week ending Dec. 28, an increase of  128,723 from the previous week. There were 646,942 initial claims in the comparable week in 2001.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent during the week ending Dec. 21, a decrease of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,438,122, a decrease of 198,735 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.8 percent and the volume was 3,619,362.  

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington during the week ending Dec. 14.

53 states reported that 782,522 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Dec. 14.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,853 in the week ending Dec. 21, an increase of 363 from the prior week. There were 1,355 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 59 from the preceding week.

There were 23,164 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Dec. 14, an increase of 2,266 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 20,643, an increase of 664 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Dec. 14 were in Alaska (6.1 percent), Oregon (4.5), Washington (4.4), Pennsylvania (4.2), Puerto Rico (4.2), California (3.8), Idaho (3.7), Arkansas (3.5), Masachusetts (3.5), and Michigan (3.5).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Dec. 21 were in California (+7,734), Kentucky (+5,374), Missouri (+4,255), Virginia (+4,016), and Texas (+2,636), while the largest decreases were in North Carolina (-19,131), Pennsylvania (-5,143), Michigan (-3,614), New York (-2,646), and South Carolina (-2,267).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 28 Dec 21 Change Dec. 14  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 403,000 390,000 +13,000 438,000 421,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 612,829 484,106 +128,723 486,258 646,942
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 418,750 407,500 +11,250 402,000 410,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Dec. 21 Dec. 14  Change Dec. 7 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,418,000 3,474,000 -56,000 3,481,000 3,569,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,438,122 3,636,857 -198,735 3,543,993 3,619,362
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,410,500 3,420,750 -10,250 3,454,750 3,596,000
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.7% 2.7% 0.0 2.7% 2.8%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.7% 2.9% -0.2 2.8% 2.8%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING

Dec. 21 

Dec. 14 

Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,853 1,490 +363 1,728
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,355 1,414 -59 1,046
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING

Dec. 14 

Dec. 7 

Change
Year
Federal Employees 23,164 20,898 +2,266 20,474
Newly Discharged Veterans 20,643 19,979 +664 16,971
Railroad Retirement Board 6,000 6,000 0 5,000
Extended Benefits 15,352 15,945 -593 1
Federal (TEUC) 782,522 777,230 +5,292 0
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 127,388,117 as denominator.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 12/21/2002

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
State Change State Supplied Comment
NC -19,131 Fewer layoffs in the textile, furniture, construction, and lumber/wood industries.
PA -5,143 Fewer layoffs in the construction, industrial machinery, and transportation industries, and agriculture.
MI -3,614 No comment.
NY -2,646 No comment.
SC -2,267 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
TN -2,078 Fewer layoffs in the rubber/plastics, lumber/wood, electronic equipment, trade, and service industries.  
IL -1,753 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
GA -1,567 Fewer layoffs in the textile and carpets/rugs industries.
WV -1,117 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
IN +1,138 Layoffs in the transportation equipment and manufacturing industries,
AR +1,143 No comment.
NJ +1,283 Layoffs in the public administration, transportation, communications, and public utilities industries.
NV +1,338 No comment.
MN +1,362 Layoffs in the transportation equipment industry.
WI +1,563 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
WA +2,296 No comment.
TX +2,636 Layoffs in the finance, service, and manufacturing industries.
VA +4,016 Layoffs in the textile, apparel, and furniture industries.
MO +4,255 Layoffs in the transportation, trade, service, and furniture industries.
KY +5,374 Layoffs in the food, lumber/wood, and fabricated metals industries.
CA +7,734 Layoffs in the construction 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: 202-693-3900. 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  https://oui.doleta.gov

 



Attachment:

Provisional CY 2003 Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Seasonal Factors 

Week Ending: Initial Claims Continued Claims
Seasonal Factor Seasonal Factor
01/04/2003 157.9 135.2
01/11/2003 199.4 123.5
01/18/2003 141.5 123.4
01/25/2003 108.5 124.3
02/01/2003 113.7 125.9
02/08/2003 115.4 119.7
02/15/2003 97.9 122.4
02/22/2003 92.7 120.4
03/01/2003 98.6 120.4
03/08/2003 97.3 116.1
03/15/2003 91.2 116.3
03/22/2003 88.8 110.2
03/29/2003 83.2 109.3

Note:  These provisional seasonal factors will be revised when the final CY2003 seasonal factors are issued.