EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 03-95
   
   
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 March 6, 2003
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending March 1, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 430,000, an increase of 12,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 418,000. The 4-week moving average was 408,750, an increase of 8,750 from the previous week's revised average of 400,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent for the week ending Feb. 22, an increase of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 2.6 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Feb. 22 was 3,516,000, an increase of 180,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,336,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,391,000, an increase of 44,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,346,500.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 424,055 in the week ending March 1, an increase of 36,334 from the previous week. There were 385,272 initial claims in the comparable week in 2002.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.3 percent during the week ending Feb. 22, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,233,714, an increase of 151,027 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.3 percent and the volume was 4,234,460.
 
 

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington during the week ending Feb. 15.

53 states reported that 689,030 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Feb. 15.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 968 in the week ending Feb. 22, a decrease of 275 from the prior week. There were 1,072 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 137 from the preceding week.

There were 18,294 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Feb. 15, a decrease of 2,653 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 19,824, a decrease of 967 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Feb. 15 were in Alaska (7.1 percent), Oregon (5.1), Pennsylvania (5.1), Idaho (5.0), Wisconsin (4.7), Michigan (4.6), Washington (4.6), Massachusetts (4.1), Puerto Rico (4.1), Connecticut (4.0), Montana (4.0), and Rhode Island (4.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Feb. 22 were in Pennsylvania (+5,891), Massachusetts (+4,871), Kansas (+2,172), New Jersey (+1,608), and Connecticut (+1,560), while the largest decreases were in Michigan (-9,515), Georgia (-3,144), North Carolina (-2,724), Wisconsin (-1,778), and Texas (-1,324).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING March 1  Feb. 22 Change Feb. 15  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 430,000 418,000 +12,000 406,000 392,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 424,055 387,721 +36,334 397,703 385,272
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 408,750 400,000 +8,750 395,750 390,750
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Feb. 22 Feb. 15  Change Feb. 8 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,516,000 3,336,000 +180,000 3,417,000 3,511,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 4,233,714 4,082,687 +151,027 4,089,677 4,234,460
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,391,000 3,346,500 +44,500 3,336,750 3,505,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.8% 2.6% +0.2 2.7% 2.7%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 3.3% 3.2% +0.1 3.2% 3.3%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Feb. 22
Feb. 15
Change
Year
Federal Employees 968 1,243 -275 852
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,072 1,209 -137 917
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Feb. 15
Feb. 8
Change
Year
Federal Employees 18,294 20,947 -2,653 17,509
Newly Discharged Veterans 19,824 20,791 -967 16,091
Railroad Retirement Board 7,000 7,000 0 7,000
Extended Benefits 17,106 17,238 -132 34,353
Federal (TEUC) 689,030 812,176 -123,146 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 02/22/2003 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MI -9,515 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
GA -3,144 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.
NC -2,724 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.
WI -1,778 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
TX -1,324 Fewer layoffs in the construction and transportation industries.
DE -1,167 No comment.
NY -1,091 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
RI +1,017 Layoffs in the trade and service industries.
MD +1,152 No comment.
CT +1,560 No comment.
NJ +1,608 Layoffs in the construction, service, transportation, communications, and public utilities industries.
KS +2,172 Layoffs in the information and manufacturing industries.
MA +4,871 Increase is school closings related.
PA +5,891 Layoffs in the construction, food, lumber/wood, stone/clay/glass, primary metals, electrical equipment, and transportation industries.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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