News Release
 

U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 06-389-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 9, 2006
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending March 4, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 303,000, an increase of 8,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 295,000. The 4-week moving average was 293,500, an increase of 6,250 from the previous week's unrevised average of 287,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent for the week ending Feb. 25, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 1.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Feb. 25 was 2,506,000, an increase of 29,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,477,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,493,750, a decrease of 11,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,505,250.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 300,738 in the week ending March 4, an increase of 28,349 from the previous week. There were 332,067 initial claims in the comparable week in 2005.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent during the week ending Feb. 25, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,989,181, an increase of 83,606 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.5 percent and the volume was 3,226,999.

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Extended benefits were available in Louisiana during the week ending Feb. 18.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 894 in the week ending Feb. 25, a decrease of 6 from the prior week. There were 1,746 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 195 from the preceding week.

There were 17,849 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Feb. 18, an increase of 58 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 29,096, an increase of 123 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Feb. 18 were in Alaska (5.5 percent), Michigan (4.8), Puerto Rico (3.6), Wisconsin (3.6), Pennsylvania (3.5), Rhode Island (3.5), New Jersey (3.3), Massachusetts (3.2), Vermont (3.2), Idaho (3.0), Mississippi (3.0), and Oregon (3.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Feb. 25 were in Massachusetts (+3,941), Connecticut (+3,005), New Jersey (+2,397), Kentucky (+1,362), and Wisconsin (+1,096), while the largest decreases were in Pennsylvania (-2,287), California (-927), Michigan (-895), Maryland (-760), and Indiana (-750).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING March 4 Feb. 25 Change Feb. 18 Year

Initial Claims (SA) 303,000 295,000 +8,000 278,000 335,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 300,738 272,389 +28,349 269,571 332,067
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 293,500 287,250 +6,250 281,750 317,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Feb. 25 Feb. 18 Change Feb. 11 Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,506,000 2,477,000 +29,000 2,488,000 2,696,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,989,181 2,905,575 +83,606 3,017,838 3,226,999
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,493,750 2,505,250 -11,500 2,510,250 2,676,500

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 1.9% 1.9% 0.0 1.9% 2.1%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.3% 2.3% 0.0 2.3% 2.5%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Feb. 25
Feb. 18
Change
Year

Federal Employees 894 900 -6 994
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,746 1,941 -195 1,653

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Feb. 18
Feb. 11
Change
Year

Federal Employees 17,849 17,791 +58 18,858
Newly Discharged Veterans 29,096 28,973 +123 26,249
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 4,000
Extended Benefits 7,235 4,355 +2,880 1

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 128,767,336 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 02/25/2006 


STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
PA -2,287 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
RI +1,037 Layoffs in the service industry.
WI +1,096 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.
KY +1,362 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
NJ +2,397 Layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, trade, and service industries.
CT +3,005 Layoffs in the service and transportation industries.
MA +3,941 Layoffs in the transportation industry.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current


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