News Release
 

U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 08-248-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Scott Gibbons (202) 693-3008 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176 8:30 A.M. (EST), THURSDAY
Media Contact : February 28, 2008
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Feb. 23, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 373,000, an increase of 19,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 354,000. The 4-week moving average was 360,500, a decrease of 1,250 from the previous week's revised average of 361,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.1 percent for the week ending Feb. 16, 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. 16 was 2,807,000, an increase of 21,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,786,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,777,500, an increase of 24,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,753,250.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 328,178 in the week ending Feb. 23, an increase of 2,447 from the previous week. There were 299,000 initial claims in the comparable week in 2007.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent during the week ending Feb. 16, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,304,389, a decrease of 11,169 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.3 percent and the volume was 3,075,023.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Feb. 9.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 874 in the week ending Feb. 16, a decrease of 234 from the prior week. There were 1,419 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 154 from the preceding week.

There were 16,327 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Feb. 9, a decrease of 2,350 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 23,235, a decrease of 140 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Feb. 9 were in Alaska (4.8 percent), Michigan (4.4), Rhode Island (4.2), Idaho (4.0), Pennsylvania (3.8), Wisconsin (3.8), Oregon (3.7), Massachusetts (3.4), New Jersey (3.4), and Vermont (3.3).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Feb. 16 were in North Carolina (+1,201), Wisconsin (+259), Louisiana (+172), and Rhode Island (+78), while the largest decreases were in California (-16,027), Kentucky (-4,709), Illinois (-3,912), Oregon (-3,078), and Michigan (-2,827).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Feb. 23 Feb. 16 Change Feb. 9 Year

Initial Claims (SA) 373,000 354,000 +19,000 358,000 337,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 328,178 325,731 +2,447 377,457 299,000
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 360,500 361,750 -1,250 349,750 335,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Feb. 16 Feb. 9 Change Feb. 2 Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,807,000 2,786,000 +21,000 2,737,000 2,624,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,304,389 3,315,558 -11,169 3,328,590 3,075,023
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,777,500 2,753,250 +24,250 2,724,000 2,534,500

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.1% 2.1% 0.0 2.1% 2.0%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
2.5% 2.5% 0.0 2.5% 2.3%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Feb. 16
Feb. 9
Change
Year

Federal Employees 874 1,108 -234 888
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,419 1,573 -154 1,584

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Feb. 9
Feb. 2
Change
Year

Federal Employees 16,327 18,677 -2,350 16,206
Newly Discharged Veterans 23,235 23,375 -140 24,159
Railroad Retirement Board 4,000 4,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 0 0 0 0

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 133,010,953 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 02/16/2008 


STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -16,027 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.
KY -4,709 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
IL -3,912 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.
OR -3,078 No comment.
MI -2,827 No comment.
PA -2,139 Fewer layoffs in the chemical, petroleum, information, and electrical equipment industries.
WA -2,077 No comment.
GA -1,918 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
OH -1,856 No comment.
NY -1,470 Fewer layoffs in the transportation and manufacturing industries.
NJ -1,299 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
SC -1,279 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
FL -1,186 No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NC +1,201 Layoffs in the construction, transportation equipment, and lumber/wood industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current


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