EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 03-91
   
   
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 February 27, 2003
 

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending Feb. 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 417,000, an increase of 11,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 406,000. The 4-week moving average was 399,750, an increase of 4,000 from the previous week's revised average of 395,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent for the week ending Feb. 15, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.7 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Feb. 15 was 3,377,000, a decrease of 45,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,422,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,358,000, an increase of 20,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,338,000.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 386,604 in the week ending Feb. 22, a decrease of 10,737 from the previous week. There were 367,504 initial claims in the comparable week in 2002.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.3 percent during the week ending Feb. 15, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,133,464, an increase of 36,776 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.3 percent and the volume was 4,270,421.
 

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington during the week ending Feb. 8.

53 states reported that 812,176 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Feb. 8.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,235 in the week ending Feb. 15, a decrease of 8 from the prior week. There were 1,204 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 237 from the preceding week.

There were 20,998 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Feb. 8, a decrease of 237 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 20,830, an increase of 303 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Feb. 8 were in Alaska (6.8 percent), Idaho (5.2), Oregon (5.2), Washington (4.8), Wisconsin (4.8), Pennsylvania (4.7), Puerto Rico (4.6), Michigan (4.4), Massachusetts (4.2), and Rhode Island (4.2).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Feb. 15 were in Michigan (+1,865), Delaware (+1,155), Arkansas (+824), Georgia (+442), and Kentucky (+198), while the largest decreases were in California (-9,588), Illinois (-4,269), New York (-2,796), Pennsylvania (-2,324), and Washington (-2,078).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Feb. 22  Feb. 15 Change Feb. 8  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 417,000 406,000 +11,000 381,000 396,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 386,604 397,341 -10,737 439,520 367,504
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 399,750 395,750 +4,000 390,000 390,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Feb. 15 Feb. 8  Change Feb. 1 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,377,000 3,422,000 -45,000 3,295,000 3,509,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 4,133,464 4,096,688 +36,776 4,148,823 4,270,421
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,358,000 3,338,000 +20,000 3,317,250 3,480,250
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.7% 2.7% 0.0 2.6% 2.7%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 3.3% 3.2% +0.1 3.3% 3.3%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Feb. 15 
Feb. 8 
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,235 1,243 -8 1,054
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,204 1,441 -237 1,060
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Feb. 8
Feb. 1
Change
Year
Federal Employees 20,998 20,456 +542 18,324
Newly Discharged Veterans 20,830 20,527 +303 16,491
Railroad Retirement Board 7,000 7,000 0 7,000
Extended Benefits 17,241 17,478 -237 33,773
Federal (TEUC) 812,176 684,095 +128,081 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 02/15/2003 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -9,588 No comment.
IL -4,269 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
NY -2,796 No comment.
PA -2,324 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
WA -2,078 No comment.
FL -1,975 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
NJ -1,921 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, transportation, communications, and public utilities industries.
OR -1,807 No comment.
NC -1,717 Fewer layoffs in the construction industry.
MO -1,711 Fewer layoffs in the trade and service industries.
SC -1,669 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
KS -1,509 Fewer layoffs in the information and manufacturing industries.
MA -1,301 No comment.
OH -1,223 No comment.
AL -1,072 Fewer layoffs in the tobacco, food, textile, and apparel industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
DE +1,155 No comment.
MI +1,865 Layoffs in the automobile industry.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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