News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 04-229-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 19, 2004
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending Feb. 14, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 344,000, a decrease of 24,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 368,000. The 4-week moving average was 352,000, an increase of 250 from the previous week's revised average of 351,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent for the week ending Feb. 7, an increase of 0.1 from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.4 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Feb. 7 was 3,186,000, an increase of 106,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,080,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,122,750, an increase of 16,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,106,000.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 340,973 in the week ending Feb. 14, a decrease of 92,263 from the previous week. There were 397,703 initial claims in the comparable week in 2003.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent during the week ending Feb. 7, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,803,967, a decrease of 45,742 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.2 percent and the volume was 4,089,677.

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Extended benefits were available in Alaska during the week ending Jan. 31.

53 states reported that 496,346 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Jan. 31.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,325 in the week ending Feb. 7, a decrease of 118 from the prior week. There were 1,981 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 94 from the preceding week.

There were 21,646 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Jan. 31, a decrease of 3,137 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 28,203, a decrease of 973 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Jan. 31 were in Alaska (6.7 percent), Pennsylvania (4.8), Idaho (4.7), Michigan (4.7), Oregon (4.7), Puerto Rico (4.7), Wisconsin (4.5), Washington (4.2), Massachusetts (4.1), Montana (4.1), and New Jersey (4.1).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Feb. 7 were in North Carolina (+20,187), South Carolina (+5,821), Texas (+3,202), Georgia (+3,026), and Virginia (+2,180), while the largest decreases were in Ohio (-2,569), Wisconsin (-2,419), Maryland (-2,009), Maine (-1,411), and Connecticut (-1,081).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Feb. 14  Feb. 7 Change Jan. 31  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 344,000 368,000 -24,000 357,000 408,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 340,973 433,236 -92,263 406,295 397,703
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 352,000 351,750 +250 345,500 394,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Feb. 7 Jan. 31  Change Jan. 24 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,186,000 3,080,000 +106,000 3,106,000 3,431,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,803,967 3,849,709 -45,742 3,773,446 4,089,677
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,122,750 3,106,000 +16,750 3,117,750 3,376,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.5% 2.4% +0.1 2.5% 2.7%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 3.0% 3.0% 0.0 3.0% 3.2%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Feb. 7
Jan. 31
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,325 1,443 -118 1,243
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,981 1,887 +94 1,441
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Jan. 31
Jan. 24
Change
Year
Federal Employees 21,646 24,783 -3,137 20,456
Newly Discharged Veterans 28,203 29,176 -973 20,527
Railroad Retirement Board 6,000 6,000 0 7,000
Extended Benefits 13,731 9,569 +4,162 17,478
Federal (TEUC) 496,346 546,914 -50,568 684,095
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 02/07/2004 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
OH -2,569 No comment.
WI -2,419 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.
MD -2,009 Fewer layoffs in the furniture and manufacturing industries.
ME -1,411 Fewer layoffs in the trade and paper industries.
CT -1,081 No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
FL +1,414 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
MO +1,620 Layoffs in the construction industry.
VA +2,180 Layoffs in the construction, information, transportation, and manufacturing industries.
GA +3,026 Layoffs in the textile industry.
TX +3,202 Layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
SC +5,821 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
NC +20,187 Layoffs in the construction, service, textile, furniture, and lumber/wood industries.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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