News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 04-366-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 March 11, 2004
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending March 6, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 341,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 347,000. The 4-week moving average was 345,750, a decrease of 6,750 from the previous week's revised average of 352,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent for the week ending Feb. 28, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.4 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Feb. 28 was 3,032,000, a decrease of 41,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,073,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,089,500, a decrease of 12,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,101,750.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 337,465 in the week ending March 6, a decrease of 4,672 from the previous week. There were 414,188 initial claims in the comparable week in 2003.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent during the week ending Feb. 28, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,695,438, a decrease of 44,505 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.3 percent and the volume was 4,191,412.

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Extended benefits were available in Alaska during the week ending Feb. 21.

53 states reported that 302,840 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Feb. 21.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,219 in the week ending Feb. 28, an increase of 206 from the prior week. There were 1,678 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 112 from the preceding week.

There were 21,897 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Feb. 21, an increase of 2,038 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 29,069, an increase of 1,348 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Feb. 21 were in Alaska (6.8 percent), Puerto Rico (5.6), Michigan (4.7), Idaho (4.5), Oregon (4.4), Rhode Island (4.3), Wisconsin (4.3), Pennsylvania (4.2), Massachusetts (4.1), and New Jersey (4.1).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Feb. 28 were in New York (+13,499), California (+9,719), Oregon (+1,223), Washington (+1,074), and Connecticut (+658), while the largest decreases were in Massachusetts (-4,695), Texas (-1,838), New Jersey (-1,556), Rhode Island (-1,486), and Georgia (-1,020).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING March 6  Feb. 28 Change Feb. 21  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 341,000 347,000 -6,000 351,000 420,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 337,465 342,137 -4,672 328,162 414,188
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 345,750 352,500 -6,750 355,000 419,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Feb. 28 Feb. 21  Change Feb. 14 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,032,000 3,073,000 -41,000 3,090,000 3,444,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,695,438 3,739,943 -44,505 3,729,443 4,191,412
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,089,500 3,101,750 -12,250 3,110,000 3,428,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.4% 2.4% 0.0 2.4% 2.7%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.9% 3.0% -0.1 3.0% 3.3%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Feb. 28
Feb. 21
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,219 1,013 +206 1,136
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,678 1,566 +112 1,334
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Feb. 21
Feb. 14
Change
Year
Federal Employees 21,897 19,859 +2,038 19,818
Newly Discharged Veterans 29,069 27,721 +1,348 20,648
Railroad Retirement Board 5,000 5,000 0 6,000
Extended Benefits 2,447 8,008 -5,561 17,425
Federal (TEUC) 302,840 361,723 -58,883 822,510
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 02/28/2004 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MA -4,695 No comment.
TX -1,838 Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
NJ -1,556 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, transportation, and warehousing industries.
RI -1,486 Fewer layoffs in the trade and service industries.
GA -1,020 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
WA +1,074 No comment.
OR +1,223 No comment.
CA +9,719 Layoffs in the construction and service industries.
NY +13,499 Increase is seasonal, school closings related.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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