News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 05-376-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 : March 10, 2005
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending March 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 327,000, an increase of 17,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 310,000. The 4-week moving average was 312,500, an increase of 5,750 from the previous week's revised average of 306,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.1 percent for the week ending Feb. 26, 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. 26 was 2,703,000, an increase of 39,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,664,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,684,750, a decrease of 7,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,691,750.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 326,792 in the week ending March 5, an increase of 36,216 from the previous week. There were 339,007 initial claims in the comparable week in 2004.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent during the week ending Feb. 26, an increase of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,235,990, an increase of 139,898 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.9 percent and the volume was 3,674,294.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Feb. 19.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 992 in the week ending Feb. 26, an increase of 14 from the prior week. There were 1,647 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 115 from the preceding week.

There were 18,854 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Feb. 19, a decrease of 450 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 26,249, a decrease of 747 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Feb. 19 were in Alaska (6.0 percent), Michigan (4.2), Puerto Rico (3.9), Wisconsin (3.8), Rhode Island (3.7), Idaho (3.6), New Jersey (3.6), Pennsylvania (3.6), Massachusetts (3.5), and Oregon (3.5).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Feb. 26 were in Massachusetts (+4,173), Louisiana (+3,080), Rhode Island (+1,369), Connecticut (+1,084), and Vermont (+692), while the largest decreases were in Kentucky (-3,645), California (-2,876), Illinois (-2,491), Missouri (-2,391), and Ohio (-1,454).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING March 5 Feb. 26 Change Feb. 19 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 327,000 310,000 +17,000 310,000 341,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 326,792 290,576 +36,216 303,813 339,007
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 312,500 306,750 +5,750 308,250 346,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Feb. 26 Feb. 19 Change Feb. 12 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,703,000 2,664,000 +39,000 2,660,000 3,057,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,235,990 3,096,092 +139,898 3,239,778 3,674,294
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,684,750 2,691,750 -7,000 2,698,500 3,138,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.1% 2.1% 0.0 2.1% 2.4%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.6% 2.4% +0.2 2.6% 2.9%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Feb. 26
Feb. 19
Change
Year
Federal Employees 992 978 +14 1,219
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,647 1,762 -115 1,678
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Feb. 19
Feb. 12
Change
Year
Federal Employees 18,854 19,304 -450 21,849
Newly Discharged Veterans 26,249 26,996 -747 29,094
Railroad Retirement Board 4,000 4,000 0 5,000
Extended Benefits 1 0 +1 2,447
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.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 02/26/2005 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
KY -3,645 No comment.
CA -2,876 Decrease due to a shorter workweek.
IL -2,491 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
MO -2,391 Fewer layoffs in the construction and service industries.
OH -1,454 No comment.
AL -1,098 Fewer layoffs in the construction and transportation equipment industries.
GA -1,093 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.
WI -1,020 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CT +1,084 No comment.
RI +1,369 Increase due to school vacation, as well as layoffs in the trade and service industries.
LA +3,080 No comment.
MA +4,173 Increase due to school vacation.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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