EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 03-151
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Thomas Stengle (202) 693-2991 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Media Contact : 8:30 A.M. (EST), THURSDAY
(202) 693-4676 April 3, 2003
 

Calendar Year 2003 Seasonal Factors:  Seasonal factors for CY 2003 and the revised historical series for CY 1988-2002 for both initial claims and continued claims will be made available on April 10, 2003, with the release of the Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report for the week ending April 5, 2003.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending March 29, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 445,000, an increase of 38,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 407,000. The 4-week moving average was 426,250, an increase of 2,500 from the previous week's revised average of 423,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent for the week ending March 22, 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 22 was 3,608,000, an increase of 107,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,501,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,529,500, an increase of 31,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,498,250.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 370,004 in the week ending March 29, an increase of 8,255 from the previous week. There were 387,526 initial claims in the comparable week in 2002.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.1 percent during the week ending March 22, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,975,650, a decrease of 95,923 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.1 percent and the volume was 3,974,765.

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

53 states reported that 760,977 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending March 15.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 916 in the week ending March 22, a decrease of 159 from the prior week. There were 1,181 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 53 from the preceding week.

There were 16,873 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 15, a decrease of 1,729 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 19,222, a decrease of 448 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending March 15 were in Alaska (6.8 percent), Oregon (5.1), Puerto Rico (5.1), Pennsylvania (5.0), Idaho (4.7), Washington (4.5), Wisconsin (4.5), Michigan (4.3), California (4.2), Massachusetts (4.2), and Rhode Island (4.2).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 22 were in Kansas (+1,525), Indiana (+771), California (+615), Virginia (+521), and Wyoming (+210), while the largest decreases were in Michigan (-7,885), Texas (-3,516), North Carolina (-2,497), Illinois (-1,582), and Ohio (-1,280).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING March 29  March 22 Change March 15  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 445,000 407,000 +38,000 427,000 492,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 370,004 361,749 +8,255 389,421 387,526
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 426,250 423,750 +2,500 426,500 423,750
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING March 22 March 15  Change March 8 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,608,000 3,501,000 +107,000 3,528,000 3,617,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,975,650 4,071,573 -95,923 4,096,551 3,974,765
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,529,500 3,498,250 +31,250 3,458,250 3,570,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.8% 2.8% 0.0 2.8% 2.8%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 3.1% 3.2% -0.1 3.2% 3.1%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
March 22
March 15
Change
Year
Federal Employees 916 1,075 -159 915
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,181 1,234 -53 984
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
March 15
March 8
Change
Year
Federal Employees 16,873 18,602 -1,729 15,971
Newly Discharged Veterans 19,222 19,670 -448 15,475
Railroad Retirement Board 5,000 5,000 0 6,000
Extended Benefits 17,726 17,843 -117 8,542
Federal (TEUC) 3 760,977 790,691 -29,714 158,610
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.
3 - Prior year level based on the reports of 31 states.



UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 03/22/2003 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MI -7,885 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
TX -3,516 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.
NC -2,497 No comment.
IL -1,582 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
OH -1,280 No comment.
DE -1,263 No comment.
NY -1,262 No comment.
WA -1,240 No comment.
MD -1,143 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
KS +1,525 Layoffs in the service, information, public administration, and manufacturing industries.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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