EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 03-35
   
   
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 30, 2003
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending Jan. 25, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 397,000, an increase of 14,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 383,000. The 4-week moving average was 384,000, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week's revised average of 387,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending Jan. 18, unchanged from the prior week's revised rate of 2.6 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Jan. 18 was 3,289,000, a decrease of 56,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,345,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,349,250, a decrease of 29,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,379,000.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 430,801 in the week ending Jan. 25, a decrease of 111,538 from the previous week. There were 431,690 initial claims in the comparable week in 2002.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.2 percent during the week ending Jan. 18, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,058,785, a decrease of 72,623 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.4 percent and the volume was 4,325,313.

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington during the week ending Jan. 11.

53 states reported that 713,808 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Jan. 11.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,888 in the week ending Jan. 18, a decrease of 731 from the prior week. There were 1,641 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 255 from the preceding week.

There were 24,072 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Jan. 11, an increase of 1,989 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 21,271, an increase of 645 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Jan. 11 were in Alaska (6.7 percent), Oregon (5.1), Puerto Rico (4.8), Washington (4.8), Idaho (4.7), Pennsylvania (4.7), Michigan (4.5), Wisconsin (4.4), Rhode Island (4.2), and Massachusetts (4.1).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Jan. 18 were in Louisiana (+1,224), the District of Columbia (+216), Florida (+168), the Virgin Islands (+41), and Nebraska (+11), while the largest decreases were in North Carolina (-19,668), Tennessee (-17,263), Pennsylvania (-15,051), Michigan (-9,960), and Virginia
(-9,834).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Jan. 25  Jan. 18 Change Jan. 11  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 397,000 383,000 +14,000 363,000 408,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 430,801 542,339 -111,538 724,116 431,690
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 384,000 387,000 -3,000 388,500 403,500
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING  Jan. 18 Jan. 11  Change Jan. 4 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,289,000 3,345,000 -56,000 3,321,000 3,519,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 4,058,785 4,131,408 -72,623 4,490,331 4,325,313
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,349,250 3,379,000 -29,750 3,409,500 3,487,000
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.6% 2.6% 0.0 2.6% 2.7%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 3.2% 3.3% -0.1 3.5% 3.4%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Jan. 18 
Jan. 11 
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,888 2,619 -731 1,736
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,641 1,896 -255 1,369
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Jan. 11
Jan. 4
Change
Year
Federal Employees 24,072 22,083 +1,989 21,170
Newly Discharged Veterans 21,271 20,626 +645 16,804
Railroad Retirement Board 7,000 7,000 0 7,000
Extended Benefits 18,504 47,513 -29,009 23,685
Federal (TEUC) 713,808 511,416 +202,392 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 126,949,730 as denominator.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 01/18/2003 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NC -19,668 No comment.
TN -17,263 Fewer layoffs in the industrial machinery and transportation equipment industries. 
PA -15,051 Fewer layoffs in the transportation equipment and electrical equipment industries.
MI -9,960 Fewer layoffs in the automobile and transportation equipment industries.
VA -9,834 Fewer layoffs in the industrial machinery and furniture industries.
SC -9,569 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
GA -9,550 Fewer layoffs in the carpets/rugs, textile, and transportation equipment industries. 
OH -7,198 No comment.
AL -6,657 Fewer layoffs in the construction industry.
NY -6,383 No comment.
MO -5,851 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and transportation industries.
NJ -5,500 Fewer layoffs in the trade and manufacturing industries.
MA -4,615 No comment.
CT -4,305 No comment.
IN -3,918 No comment.
MS -3,787 No comment.
MD -3,594 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing inustry.
MN -3,401 No comment.
KY -3,286 Fewer layoffs in the mining industry. 
AR -3,269 No comment.
IL -2,868 Fewer layoffs in the construction and service industries.
TX -2,787 Fewer layoffs the transportation, service, and manufacturing industries.
WA -2,484 No comment.
OR -2,463 No comment.
OK -1,990 No comment.
MT -1,876 No comment.
RI -1,787 Fewer layoffs in the trade and service industries.
CA -1,707 No comment.
WI -1,500 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
ID -1,325 No comment.
NM -1,146 No comment.
IA -1,105 No comment.
WV -1,103 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
LA +1,224 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: 202-693-3900. 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