EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 03-117
   
   
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 13, 2003
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending March 8, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 420,000, a decrease of 15,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 435,000. The 4-week moving average was 419,750, an increase of 9,750 from the previous week's revised average of 410,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent for the week ending March 1, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 2.7 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 1 was 3,496,000, an increase of 14,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,482,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,434,000, an increase of 50,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,383,750.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 408,918 in the week ending March 8, a decrease of 19,717 from the previous week. There were 386,529 initial claims in the comparable week in 2002.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.3 percent during the week ending March 1, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,209,011, an increase of 16,115 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.3 percent and the volume was 4,259,426.

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington during the week ending Feb. 22.

53 states reported that 822,510 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Feb. 22.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,132 in the week ending March 1, an increase of 158 from the prior week. There were 1,330 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 253 from the preceding week.

There were 19,818 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Feb. 22, an increase of 1,558 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 20,649, an increase of 857 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Feb. 22 were in Alaska (6.9 percent), Oregon (5.2), Idaho (5.1), Puerto Rico (5.1), Pennsylvania (4.9), Rhode Island (4.7), Washington (4.7), Wisconsin (4.6), Massachusetts (4.5), and Michigan (4.5).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 1 were in New York (+12,807), North Carolina (+6,356), California (+5,509), Missouri (+3,663), and Michigan (+3,433), while the largest decreases were in Massachusetts (-5,205), Texas (-4,102), Pennsylvania (-2,599), Rhode Island (-343), and Vermont (-280).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING March 8  March 1 Change Feb. 22  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 420,000 435,000 -15,000 418,000 399,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 408,918 428,635 -19,717 387,068 386,529
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 419,750 410,000 +9,750 400,000 393,500
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING March 1 Feb. 22  Change Feb. 15 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,496,000 3,482,000 +14,000 3,341,000 3,541,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 4,209,011 4,192,896 +16,115 4,089,902 4,259,426
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,434,000 3,383,750 +50,250 3,347,750 3,525,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.8% 2.7% +0.1 2.6% 2.8%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 3.3% 3.3% 0.0 3.2% 3.3%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
March 1
Feb. 22
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,132 974 +158 979
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,330 1,077 +253 1,109
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Feb. 22
Feb. 15
Change
Year
Federal Employees 19,818 18,260 +1,558 17,713
Newly Discharged Veterans 20,649 19,792 +857 16,512
Railroad Retirement Board 6,000 6,000 0 7,000
Extended Benefits 17,425 17,106 +319 36,281
Federal (TEUC) 822,510 689,030 +133,480 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 03/01/2003 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MA -5,205 No comment. 
TX -4,102 Fewer layoffs in the information, mining, and manufacturing industries. 
PA -2,599 Fewer layoffs in the construction, lumber/wood, stone/clay/glass, and transportation equipment industries. 
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
TN +1,003 Layoffs in the paper, chemical, and lumber/wood industries.
WV +1,149 Layoffs in the mining industry.
AL +1,581 Layoffs in the construction, food, and electrical equipment industries. 
IL +2,056 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries. 
VA +2,787 Layoffs in the primary metals, leather goods, and stone/clay/glass industries. 
MI +3,433 Layoffs in the automobile industry. 
MO +3,663 Layoffs in the construction and electrical machinery industries. 
CA +5,509 Layoffs in the construction industry. 
NC +6,356 Layoffs in the construction, textile, and apparel industries. 
NY +12,807 Increase is school closings related. 


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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