EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 03-179
   
   
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 April 17, 2003
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending April 12, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 442,000, an increase of 30,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 412,000. The 4-week moving average was 424,750, an increase of 3,500 from the previous week's revised average of 421,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent for the week ending April 5, unchanged from the prior week's revised rate of 2.8 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending April 5 was 3,574,000, an increase of 76,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,498,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,524,500, an increase of 9,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,514,750.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 429,656 in the week ending April 12, an increase of 35,578 from the previous week. There were 428,834 initial claims in the comparable week in 2002.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent during the week ending April 5, a decrease of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,734,485, a decrease of 152,196 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.0 percent and the volume was 3,851,621.

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington during the week ending March 29.

53 states reported that 786,355 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending March 29.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,121 in the week ending April 5, an increase of 137 from the prior week. There were 1,199 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 30 from the preceding week.

There were 15,572 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 29, a decrease of 1,591 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 18,345, a decrease of 986 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending March 29 were in Alaska (7.8 percent), Puerto Rico (5.2), Oregon (5.1), Pennsylvania (4.5), Idaho (4.4), Washington (4.4), Michigan (4.2), Wisconsin (4.2), California (4.0), and Massachusetts (4.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending April 5 were in Illinois (+5,779), Massachusetts (+2,544), Alabama (+2,211), Texas (+1,906), and Florida (+1,846), while the largest decreases were in Kentucky (-1,569), Missouri (-1,290), Indiana (-944), Michigan (-498), and Kansas (-454).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING April 12  April 5 Change March 29  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 442,000 412,000 +30,000 443,000 451,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 429,656 394,078 +35,578 371,415 428,834
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 424,750 421,250 +3,500 423,250 446,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING April 5 March 29  Change March 22 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,574,000 3,498,000 +76,000 3,552,000 3,703,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,734,485 3,886,681 -152,196 3,939,370 3,851,621
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,524,500 3,514,750 +9,750 3,501,250 3,625,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.8% 2.8% 0.0 2.8% 2.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.9% 3.1% -0.2 3.1% 3.0%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
April 5
March 29
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,121 984 +137 1,352
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,199 1,169 +30 1,117
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
March 29
March 22
Change
Year
Federal Employees 15,572 17,163 -1,591 15,457
Newly Discharged Veterans 18,345 19,331 -986 15,119
Railroad Retirement Board 5,000 5,000 0 5,000
Extended Benefits 17,312 17,635 -323 2,543
Federal (TEUC) 3 786,355 802,004 -15,649 725,856
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 126,632,357 as denominator.
3 - Prior year level based on the reports of 46 states.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 04/05/2003 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
KY -1,569 Fewer layoffs in the mining industry.
MO -1,290 Fewer layoffs in the transportation, communications, and public utilities industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
AZ +1,091 No comment.
NJ +1,148 Layoffs in the transportation, service, finance, insurance, and manufacturing industries.
AR +1,459 No comment.
NY +1,672 No comment.
PA +1,693 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and textile industries.
OH +1,703 No comment.
FL +1,846 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
TX +1,906 Layoffs in the information, service, and manufacturing industries.
AL +2,211 Layoffs in the electrical equipment and manufacturing industries.
MA +2,544 Layoffs in the trade, transportation, and manufacturing industries.
IL +5,779 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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