News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 05-300-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Subri Raman (202) 693-3058 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176 8:30 A.M. (EST), THURSDAY
Media Contact : February 24, 2005
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Feb. 19, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 312,000, an increase of 9,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 303,000. The 4-week moving average was 308,750, a decrease of 3,250 from the previous week's revised average of 312,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.1 percent for the week ending Feb. 12, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.1 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Feb. 12 was 2,650,000, a decrease of 62,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,712,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,696,000, a decrease of 40,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,736,250.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 305,345 in the week ending Feb. 19, a decrease of 3,789 from the previous week. There were 328,171 initial claims in the comparable week in 2004.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent during the week ending Feb. 12, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,227,664, an increase of 11,233 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.0 percent and the volume was 3,729,369.

-more-

 

2

Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Feb. 5.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,177 in the week ending Feb. 12, a decrease of 266 from the prior week. There were 1,826 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 136 from the preceding week.

There were 20,528 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Feb. 5, an increase of 206 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 27,186, a decrease of 179 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Feb. 5 were in Alaska (6.1 percent), Michigan (4.3), Puerto Rico (4.1), Idaho (3.9), Pennsylvania (3.8), Rhode Island (3.8), Wisconsin (3.8), Massachusetts (3.7), New Jersey (3.7), and Oregon (3.6).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Feb. 12 were in Virginia (+1,138), North Carolina (+659), Kansas (+612), Hawaii (+592), and South Carolina (+275), while the largest decreases were in Pennsylvania (-5,010), New Jersey (-4,525), Michigan (-4,124), California (-3,773), and Illinois (-3,095).

-more-

 

3
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Feb.19 Feb. 12 Change Feb. 5 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 312,000 303,000 +9,000 304,000 352,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 305,345 309,134 -3,789 347,391 328,171
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 308,750 312,000 -3,250 315,750 361,500
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Feb. 12 Feb. 5 Change Jan. 29 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,650,000 2,712,000 -62,000 2,731,000 3,147,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,227,664 3,216,431 +11,233 3,296,052 3,729,369
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,696,000 2,736,250 -40,250 2,732,750 3,175,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.1% 2.1% 0.0 2.2% 2.5%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.5% 2.5% 0.0 2.6% 3.0%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Feb. 12
Feb. 5
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,177 1,443 -266 1,257
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,826 1,962 -136 1,660
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Feb. 5
Jan. 29
Change
Year
Federal Employees 20,528 20,322 +206 22,830
Newly Discharged Veterans 27,186 27,365 -179 28,639
Railroad Retirement Board 4,000 4,000 0 4,000
Extended Benefits 0 0 0 12,892
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 126,641,867 as denominator.
-more-

 

4

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 02/12/2005 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
PA -5,010 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
NJ -4,525 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries, and manufacturing.
MI -4,124 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
CA -3,773 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.
IL -3,095 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
NY -2,679 Fewer layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.
MN -1,983 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
MA -1,861 No comment.
OH -1,362 No comment.
CT -1,359 No comment.
TX -1,194 Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
OR -1,051 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
VA +1,138 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

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/