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News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL14-388-NAT
   
   
Program Contacts: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Tom Stengle (202) 693-2991 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176 8:30 A.M. (Eastern), Thursday
Media Contact: (202) 693-4676 March 13, 2014
   

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending March 8, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 315,000, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 324,000. The 4-week moving average was 330,500, a decrease of 6,250 from the previous week's revised average of 336,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent for the week ending March 1, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 1 was 2,855,000, a decrease of 48,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,903,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,915,750, a decrease of 19,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,935,250.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 302,218 in the week ending March 8, a decrease of 15,614 from the previous week. There were 317,526 initial claims in the comparable week in 2013.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent during the week ending March 1, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,285,703, a decrease of 90,028 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.7 percent and the volume was 3,501,920.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending February 22 was 3,450,757, an increase of 12,282 from the previous week. There were 5,619,860 persons claiming benefits in all programs in the comparable week in 2013.

 

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No state was triggered "on" the Extended Benefits program during the week ending February 22.

Initial claims for UI benefits filed by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,159 in the week ending March 1, an increase of 147 from the prior week. There were 1,909 initial claims filed by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 157 from the preceding week.

There were 20,812 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending February 22, an increase of 401 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 29,475, an increase of 670 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending February 22 were in Alaska (5.9), Rhode Island (4.4), New Jersey (4.3), Connecticut (4.1), Pennsylvania (3.8), California (3.7), Illinois (3.7), Massachusetts (3.6), Montana (3.6), and Wisconsin (3.5).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 1 were in New York (+18,709), Florida (1,940), Illinois (+1,789), Texas (+1,245), and New Hampshire (+849), while the largest decreases were in California (-5,765), Georgia (-5,437), Massachusetts (-3,770), Pennsylvania (-2,086), and South Carolina (-2,006).

 

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
WEEK ENDING Advance March 8 March 1 Change Feb. 22 Prior Year1
Initial Claims (SA) 315,000 324,000 -9,000 349,000 334,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 302,218 317,832 -15,614 311,363 317,526
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 330,500 336,750 -6,250 338,500 347,000
WEEK ENDING Advance March 1 Feb. 22 Change Feb. 15 Prior Year1
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,855,000 2,903,000 -48,000 2,949,000 3,058,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,285,703 3,375,731 -90,028 3,367,239 3,501,920
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,915,750 2,935,250 -19,500 2,951,000 3,107,000
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.2% 2.2% 0.0 2.3% 2.4%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 2.5% 2.6% -0.1 2.6% 2.7%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
March 1
Feb. 22
Change
Prior Year1
Federal Employees 1,159 1,012 +147 1,259
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,909 1,752 +157 2,475
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
February 22
February 15
Change
Prior Year1
Regular State 3,370,468 3,362,308 +8,160 3,603,285
Federal Employees (UCFE) 20,812 20,411 +401 21,524
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 29,475 28,805 +670 39,286
Extended Benefits3 104 29 +75 549
State Additional Benefits 4 10,672 9,547 +1,125 8,064
STC / Workshare 5 19,226 17,375 +1,851 29,994
STC / TOTAL6 3,450,757 3,438,475 +12,282 5,619,860
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 130,938,360 as denominator.

3 - Information on the EB program can be found here: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/extenben.asp
4 - 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
5 - 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
6- Prior year total includes EUC claimants.

 

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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED MARCH 1, 2014

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -5,765   Fewer layoffs in the service and wholesale trade industries.
GA -5,437   Fewer layoffs in the construction, administrative and support services, transportation and warehousing, and accommodation and food services industries.
MA -3,770   Fewer layoffs in the transportation and food services industries.
PA -2,086   Fewer layoffs in the transportation and construction industries.
SC -2,006   Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
AL -1,042   Fewer layoffs in the construction, and manufacturing industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NY +18,709   Layoffs in the transportation and warehousing, educational services, and food services industries.
FL +1,940  

Layoffs in the agriculture, construction, manufacturing, wholesale trade, retail trade, and service industries.
IL +1,789   Layoffs in the construction, administrative and support services, and trade industries.
TX +1,245   No comment.

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/unemploy/claim s_arch.asp.