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News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 04-184-NAT
   
   
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 February 12, 2004
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending Feb. 7, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 363,000, an increase of 6,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 357,000. The 4-week moving average was 350,500, an increase of 5,000 from the previous week's revised average of 345,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent for the week ending Jan. 31, a decrease of 0.1 from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.5 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Jan. 31 was 3,083,000, a decrease of 23,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,106,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,106,750, a decrease of 11,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,117,750.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 427,579 in the week ending Feb. 7, an increase of 21,469 from the previous week. There were 439,520 initial claims in the comparable week in 2003.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.1 percent during the week ending Jan. 31, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,853,213, an increase of 79, 527 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.3 percent and the volume was 4,148,823.

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Extended benefits were available in Alaska during the week ending Jan. 24.

53 states reported that 546,914 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Jan. 24.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,442 in the week ending Jan. 31, an increase of 39 from the prior week. There were 1,880 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 57 from the preceding week.

There were 24,826 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Jan. 24, an increase of 2,433 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 29,161, an increase of 1,438 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Jan. 24 were in Alaska (7.0 percent), Oregon (4.7), Puerto Rico (4.7), Idaho (4.6), Michigan (4.6), Wisconsin (4.5), Pennsylvania (4.2), Rhode Island (4.2), Washington (4.2), and Massachusetts (4.1).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Jan. 31 were in California (+7,632), Missouri (+3,308), Pennsylvania (+2,802), Maryland (+2,199), and Kansas (+2,083), while the largest decreases were in Texas (-2,827), New York (-1,501), South Carolina (-1,017), Georgia (-961), and North Carolina (-847).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Feb. 7  Jan. 31 Change Jan. 24  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 363,000 357,000 +6,000 339,000 378,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 427,579 406,110 +21,469 382,258 439,520
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 350,500 345,500 +5,000 345,250 389,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Jan. 31 Jan. 24  Change Jan. 17 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,083,000 3,106,000 -23,000 3,119,000 3,311,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,853,213 3,773,686 +79,527 3,798,648 4,148,823
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,106,750 3,117,750 -11,000 3,160,750 3,359,000
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.4% 2.5% -0.1 2.5% 2.6%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 3.1% 3.0% +0.1 3.0% 3.3%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Jan. 31
Jan. 24
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,442 1,403 +39 1,559
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,880 1,823 +57 1,365
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Jan. 24
Jan. 17
Change
Year
Federal Employees 24,826 22,393 +2,433 22,870
Newly Discharged Veterans 29,161 27,723 +1,438 21,610
Railroad Retirement Board 5,000 5,000 0 8,000
Extended Benefits 9,569 16,042 -6,473 17,391
Federal (TEUC) 546,914 695,525 -148,611 838,955
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 126,250,343 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 01/31/2004 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
TX -2,827 Fewer layoffs in the service and information industries.
NY -1,501 No comment.
SC -1,017 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
IL +1,037 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service , and manufacturing industries.
OH +1,094 No comment.
IN +1,161 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
OR +1,508 No comment.
WA +1,663 No comment.
MI +1,672 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
KS +2,083 Layoffs in the mining and manufacturing industries.
MD +2,199 No comment.
PA +2,802 Layoffs in the construction, wood products, and transportation industries.
MO +3,308 Layoffs in the construction industry.
CA +7,632 Layoffs in the construction and food industries, and agriculture.


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/