EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 03-141
   
   
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 27, 2003
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending March 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 402,000, a decrease of 25,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 427,000. The 4-week moving average was 422,500, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised average of 426,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent for the week ending March 15, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.8 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 15 was 3,521,000, a decrease of 7,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,528,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,503,250, an increase of 45,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,458,250.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 356,870 in the week ending March 22, a decrease of 32,213 from the previous week. There were 366,542 initial claims in the comparable week in 2002.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.2 percent during the week ending March 15, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,095,301, a decrease of 765 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.2 percent and the volume was 4,142,493.

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

53 states reported that 790,691 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending March 8.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,073 in the week ending March 15, a decrease of 129 from the prior week. There were 1,231 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 224 from the preceding week.

There were 18,701 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 8, an increase of 853 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 19,715, an increase of 7 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending March 8 were in Alaska (6.7 percent), Puerto Rico (5.6), Oregon (5.1), Idaho (4.9), Pennsylvania (4.7), Washington (4.6), Wisconsin (4.6), Michigan (4.4), Massachusetts (4.2), and Rhode Island (4.2).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 15 were in Michigan (+6,986), Texas (+1,868), Georgia (+805), Iowa (+550), and Washington (+494), while the largest decreases were in California (-5,182), Pennsylvania (-3,946), Virginia (-2,523), Missouri (-2,497), and Arkansas (-1,888).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING March 22  March 15 Change March 8  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 402,000 427,000 -25,000 426,000 414,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 356,870 389,083 -32,213 414,188 366,542
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 422,500 426,500 -4,000 421,250 398,750
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING March 15 March 8  Change March 1 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,521,000 3,528,000 -7,000 3,481,000 3,580,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 4,095,301 4,096,066 -765 4,191,412 4,142,493
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,503,250 3,458,250 +45,000 3,430,500 3,544,000
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.8% 2.8% 0.0 2.7% 2.8%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 3.2% 3.2% 0.0 3.3% 3.2%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
March 15
March 8
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,073 1,202 -129 981
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,231 1,455 -224 980
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
March 8
March 1
Change
Year
Federal Employees 18,701 17,848 +853 16,831
Newly Discharged Veterans 19,715 19,708 +7 15,859
Railroad Retirement Board 6,000 6,000 0 7,000
Extended Benefits 17,843 17,510 +333 42,357
Federal (TEUC) 790,691 736,765 +53,926 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 03/15/2003

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -5,182 Fewer layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.
PA -3,946 Fewer layoffs in the construction, lumber/wood, stone/clay/glass, furniture, industrial machinery, transportation, trade, and service industries.
VA -2,523 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
MO -2,497 Fewer layoffs in the construction industry.
AR -1,888 No comment.
NY -1,840 No comment.
MA -1,496 No comment.
FL -1,444 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
KY -1,383 No comment.
OK -1,281 No comment.
OH -1,169 No comment.
TN -1,158 Fewer layoffs in the electronic equipment, furniture, industrial machinery, fabricated metals, and service industries.
CO -1,151 No comment.
SC -1,091 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
TX +1,868 Layoffs in the construction, insurance, and manufacturing industries.
MI +6,986 Layoffs in the automobile industry.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-693-4676. 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