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News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 12-373-NAT
   
   
Program Contacts: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Scott Gibbons (202) 693-3008 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176 8:30 A.M. (EDT), THURSDAY
Media Contact: (202) 693-4676 March 1, 2012
   

 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending February 25, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 351,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 353,000. The 4-week moving average was 354,000, a decrease of 5,500 from the previous week's revised average of 359,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent for the week ending February 18, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending February 18, was 3,402,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,404,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,444,000, a decrease of 12,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,456,250.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 331,906 in the week ending February 25, a decrease of 14,717 from the previous week. There were 353,797 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.1 percent during the week ending February 18, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,878,695, a decrease of 131,789 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.5 percent and the volume was 4,344,862.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending February 11 was 7,498,613, an increase of 11,933 from the previous week.

 

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Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending February 11.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,269 in the week ending February 18, a decrease of 114 from the prior week. There were 2,462 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 58 from the preceding week.

There were 28,680 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending February 11, a decrease of 124 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 42,170, an increase of 149 from the prior week.

States reported 2,904,556 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending February 11, an increase of 1,347 from the prior week. There were 3,653,267 claimants in the comparable week in 2011. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending February 11 were in Alaska (6.5), Pennsylvania (4.9), Montana (4.7), Rhode Island (4.6), Wisconsin (4.6), Idaho (4.5), Oregon (4.5), Illinois (4.3), New Jersey (4.3), and Puerto Rico (4.3).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending February 18 were in Iowa (+438), North Carolina (+285), New Mexico (+81), Missouri (+56), and Washington (+21), while the largest decreases were in Florida (-2,121), Illinois (-1,772), Massachusetts (-1,537), California (-1,452),
and Michigan (-1,280).

 

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
WEEK ENDING Advance February 25 February 18 Change February 11 Prior Year1
Initial Claims (SA) 351,000 353,000 -2,000 351,000 375,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 331,906 346,623 -14,717 365,014 353,797
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 354,000 359,500 -5,500 366,000 392,500
WEEK ENDING Advance February 18 February 11 Change February 4 Prior Year1
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,402,000 3,404,000 -2,000 3,444,000 3,845,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,878,695 4,010,484 -131,789 3,984,885 4,344,862
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,444,000 3,456,250 -12,250 3,497,000 3,903,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.7% 2.7% 0.0 2.7% 3.1%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 3.1% 3.2% -0.1 3.1% 3.5%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
February 18
February 11
Change
Prior Year1
Federal Employees 1,269 1,383 -114 1,797
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,462 2,520 -58 2,293
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
February 11
February 4
Change
Prior Year1
Regular State 3,997,789 3,974,003 +23,786 4,570,539
Federal Employees (UCFE) 28,680 28,804 -124 46,308
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 42,170 42,021 +149 40,570
EUC 20083 2,904,566 2,903,219 +1,347 3,653,267
Extended Benefits4 471,371 489,487 -18,116 850,372
State Additional Benefits 5 4,617 4,574 +43 8,186
STC / Workshare 6 49,420 44,572 +4,848 66,927
TOTAL 7,498,613 7,486,680 +11,933 9,236,169
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 126,579,970 as denominator.
3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity. Tier-specific EUC data can be found here: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/persons.xls
4 - Information on the EB program can be found here: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/extenben.asp
5 - Some states maintain additional benefit programs for those claimants who exhaust regular, extended and emergency benefits. Information on states that participate,
        and the extent of benefits paid, can be found starting on page 4-5 of this link: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf
6 - Information on STC/Worksharing can be found starting on page 4-9 of the following link: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf

 

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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 02/18/2012

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
FL -2,121 Fewer layoffs in the agriculture, construction, manufacturing, trade, service and retail industries.
IL -1,772 Fewer layoffs in the construction, administrative service and trade industries.
MA -1,537 Fewer layoffs in the construction, healthcare, and accommodation and food service industries.
CA -1,452 No comment.
MI -1,280 No comment.
NY -1,221 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing, retail, and food service industries.
NJ -1,097 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing, retail, construction, administrative service, healthcare and social assistance, and accommodation and food service industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
None    

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/