News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 07-438-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. (EDT), THURSDAY
Media Contact : March 29, 2007
(202) 693-4676  
 

Note: This week's release reflects the annual revision to the weekly unemployment claims seasonal adjustment factors. The historical factors from 2002 forward have been revised. See attachment for calendar year 2007 factors.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending March 24, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 308,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 318,000. The 4-week moving average was 316,750, a decrease of 7,250 from the previous week's revised average of 324,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent for the week ending March 17, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 1.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 17 was 2,527,000, an increase of 32,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,495,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,531,250, a decrease of 24,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,555,500.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 271,379 in the week ending March 24, a decrease of 5,655 from the previous week. There were 265,370 initial claims in the comparable week in 2006.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent during the week ending March 17, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,837,847, a decrease of 31,951 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.1 percent and the volume was 2,750,543.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending March 10.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 847 in the week ending March 17, a decrease of 208 from the prior week. There were 1,600 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 211 from the preceding week.

There were 14,420 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 10, a decrease of 3,917 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 23,710, a decrease of 339 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending March 10 were in Alaska (4.6 percent), Michigan (4.5), Wisconsin (3.7), Rhode Island (3.6), Pennsylvania (3.5), New Jersey (3.3), Massachusetts (3.2), Vermont (3.2), Illinois (3.0), and Puerto Rico (3.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 17 were in Mississippi (+4,191), Ohio (+2,631), Alabama (+549), Missouri (+186), and North Dakota (+73), while the largest decreases were in California (-4,079), Kentucky (-3,407), North Carolina (-2,585), Texas (-2,573), and Pennsylvania
(-1,948).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING March 24 March 17 Change March 10 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 308,000 318,000 -10,000 314,000 300,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 271,379 277,034 -5,655 298,927 265,370
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 316,750 324,000 -7,250 327,750 308,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING March 17 March 10 Change March 3 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,527,000 2,495,000 +32,000 2,581,000 2,471,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,837,847 2,869,798 -31,951 3,016,840 2,750,543
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,531,250 2,555,500 -24,250 2,556,000 2,472,250
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 1.9% 1.9% 0.0 2.0% 1.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 2.2% 2.2% 0.0 2.3% 2.1%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
March 17
March 10
Change
Year
Federal Employees 847 1,055 -208 878
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,600 1,811 -211 1,704
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
March 10
March 3
Change
Year
Federal Employees 14,420 18,337 -3,917 15,647
Newly Discharged Veterans 23,710 24,049 -339 28,070
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 0 0 0 2,131
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 131,188,612 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 03/17/2007 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -4,079 Fewer layoffs in the construction and service industries, and agriculture.
KY -3,407 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
NC -2,585 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, electronic equipment, tobacco, and textile industries.
TX -2,573 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and information industries.
PA -1,948 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
IL -1,431 Fewer layoffs in the trade industry.
OR -1,167 No comment.
NJ -1,148 No comment.
TN -1,096 Fewer layoffs in the transportation equipment and apparel industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
OH +2,631 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
MS +4,191 No comment.

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/     

Attachment: - Calendar Year 2007 Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims
Initial Claims   Continued Claims   I.U.R Covered
Wk. End N.S.A S.F. S.A.   N.S.A S.F. S.A.    N.S.A S.A Employment
                 
1/6/2007 506,059 164 309   3,122,227 126.3 2,472   2.4 1.9 131,188,612
1/13/2007 506,709 176.6 287   2,925,963 118.7 2,465   2.2 1.9 131,188,612
1/20/2007 367,583 112.0 328   3,103,449 123.5 2,513   2.4 1.9 131,188,612
1/27/2007 359,959 113.4 317   2,981,310 120.8 2,468   2.3 1.9 131,188,612
2/3/2007 339,018 108.1 314   3,079,780 120.8 2,549   2.3 1.9 131,188,612
2/10/2007 363,018 102.1 356   2,994,128 119.9 2,497   2.3 1.9 131,188,612
2/17/2007 305,945 91.8 333   3,075,023 117.2 2,624   2.3 2.0 131,188,612
2/24/2007 299,000 88.7 337   3,013,239 119.5 2,522   2.3 1.9 131,188,612
3/3/2007 320,194 97.9 327   3,016,840 116.9 2,581   2.3 2.0 131,188,612
3/10/2007 298,927 95.2 314  
2,869,798
 115.0 2,495   2.2 1.9 131,188,612
3/17/2007 277,034 87.2 318   2,837,847 112.3 2,527   2.2 1.9 131,188,612
3/24/2007 271,379 88.2 308   109.6  
3/31/2007 83.0   106.5  
4/7/2007 95.6   102.6  
4/14/2007 93.2   101.8  
4/21/2007 93.5   98.3  
4/28/2007 87.4   96.1  
5/5/2007 92.2   92.7  
5/12/2007 87.4   92.3  
5/19/2007 86.2   90.6  
5/26/2007 88.4   89.1  
6/2/2007 84.6   91.3  
6/9/2007 96.2   91.3  
6/16/2007 89.2   91.7  
6/23/2007 92.2   91.9  
6/30/2007 93.7   90.3  
7/7/2007 135.3   100.7  
7/14/2007 126.7   101.9  
7/21/2007 98.5   97.2  
7/28/2007 83.3   95.9  
8/4/2007 85.6   94.5  
8/11/2007 82.4   94.1  
8/18/2007 79.3   92.1  
8/25/2007 79.1   90.8  
9/1/2007 81.7   86.1  
9/8/2007 76.8   88.3  
9/15/2007 83.6   84.9  
9/22/2007 82.6   84.4  
9/29/2007 79.9   84.0  
10/6/2007 96.5   83.1  
10/13/2007 90.5   86.2  
10/20/2007 92.5   86.8  
10/27/2007 92.1   87.8  
11/3/2007 102.3   89.4  
11/10/2007 104.3   89.7  
11/17/2007 98.4   83.4  
11/24/2007 91.8   105.1  
12/1/2007 136.5   99.6  
12/8/2007 126.6   102.4  
12/15/2007 112.9   103.7  
12/22/2007 127.9   102.1  
12/29/2007 152.0   121.8  
Note: NSA = Not Seasonally Adjusted; SA = Seasonally Adjusted; IUR = Insured Unemployment Rate.