News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 07-513-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 : April 12, 2007
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending April 7, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 342,000, an increase of 19,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 323,000. The 4-week moving average was 323,250, an increase of 7,000 from the previous week's revised average of 316,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent for the week ending March 31, 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 31 was 2,527,000, an increase of 38,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,489,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,507,000, a decrease of 13,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,520,500.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 326,986 in the week ending April 7, an increase of 58,940 from the previous week. There were 314,696 initial claims in the comparable week in 2006.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.1 percent during the week ending March 31, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,691,158, a decrease of 36,278 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.0 percent and the volume was 2,571,168.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending March 24.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 881 in the week ending March 31, a decrease of 23 from the prior week. There were 1,540 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 161 from the preceding week.

There were 13,822 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 24, a decrease of 2,504 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 23,344, an increase of 409 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending March 24 were in Alaska (4.3 percent), Michigan (4.1), Puerto Rico (3.6), Rhode Island (3.4), Wisconsin (3.4), Pennsylvania (3.3), New Jersey (3.2), Massachusetts (3.1), Vermont (3.1), Connecticut (2.8), and Illinois (2.8).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 31 were in Oregon (+1,780), Missouri (+1,676), Alabama (+946), Kentucky (+831), and New Jersey (+771), while the largest decreases were in Michigan (-1,681), New York (-1,491), California (-1,489), Florida (-1,338), and Oklahoma (-1,006).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING April 7 March 31 Change March 24 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 342,000 323,000 +19,000 310,000 307,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 326,986 268,046 +58,940 273,432 314,696
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 323,250 316,250 +7,000 317,250 306,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING March 31 March 24 Change March 17 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,527,000 2,489,000 +38,000 2,517,000 2,437,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,691,158 2,727,436 -36,278 2,826,536 2,571,168
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,507,000 2,520,500 -13,500 2,528,750 2,453,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 1.9% 1.9% 0.0 1.9% 1.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 2.1% 2.1% 0.0 2.2% 2.0%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
March 31
March 24
Change
Year
Federal Employees 881 904 -23 783
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,540 1,701 -161 1,565
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
March 24
March 17
Change
Year
Federal Employees 13,822 16,326 -2,504 14,353
Newly Discharged Veterans 23,344 22,935 +409 27,609
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 0 0 0 888
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 03/31/2007 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MI -1,681 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
NY -1,491 Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
CA -1,489 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.
FL -1,338 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
OK -1,006 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MO +1,676 Layoffs in the transportation industry.
OR +1,780 No comment.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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