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News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL14-429-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 20, 2014
   

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending March 15, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 320,000, an increase of 5,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 315,000. The 4-week moving average was 327,000, a decrease of 3,500 from the previous week's unrevised average of 330,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent for the week ending March 8, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 8 was 2,889,000, an increase of 41,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,848,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,897,250, a decrease of 16,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,914,000.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 285,316 in the week ending March 15, a decrease of 16,995 from the previous week. There were 300,951 initial claims in the comparable week in 2013.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent during the week ending March 8, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,247,226, a decrease of 30,757 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.7 percent and the volume was 3,461,493.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending March 1 was 3,350,028, a decrease of 100,729 from the previous week. There were 5,369,007 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 March 1.

Initial claims for UI benefits filed by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,057 in the week ending March 8, a decrease of 102 from the prior week. There were 1,968 initial claims filed by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 59 from the preceding week.

There were 19,115 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 1, a decrease of 1,697 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 27,878, a decrease of 1,597 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending March 1 were in Alaska (5.5), New Jersey (4.0), Rhode Island (4.0), Connecticut (3.9), Connecticut (3.8), California (3.7), Montana (3.6), Wisconsin (3.5), Illinois (3.4), and Massachusetts (3.4).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 8 were in Pennsylvania (+1,961), Washington (+982), Wisconsin (+830), Arkansas (+745), and Illinois (+590), while the largest decreases were in New York (-17,548), Michigan (-1,971), California (-1,262), Connecticut (-1,079), and New Hampshire (-783).

 

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
WEEK ENDING Advance March 15 March 8 Change March 1 Prior Year1
Initial Claims (SA) 320,000 315,000 +5,000 324,000 341,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 285,316 302,311 -16,995 317,832 300,951
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 327,000 330,500 -3,500 336,750 340,750
WEEK ENDING Advance March 8 March 1 Change Feb. 22 Prior Year1
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,889,000 2,848,000 +41,000 2,903,000 3,077,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,247,226 3,277,983 -30,757 3,375,731 3,461,493
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,897,250 2,914,000 -16,750 2,935,250 3,085,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.2% 2.2% 0.0 2.2% 2.4%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 2.5% 2.5% 0.0 2.6% 2.7%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
March 8
March 1
Change
Prior Year1
Federal Employees 1,057 1,159 -102 1,077
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,968 1,909 +59 2,489
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
March 1
Feb. 22
Change
Prior Year1
Regular State 3,272,175 3,370,468 -98,293 3,494,249
Federal Employees (UCFE) 19,115 20,812 -1,697 20,717
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 27,878 29,475 -1,597 38,291
Extended Benefits3 33 104 -71 544
State Additional Benefits 4 10,081 10,672 -591 4,807
STC / Workshare 5 20,746 19,226 +1,520 29,556
STC / TOTAL6 3,350,028 3,450,757 -100,729 5,369,007
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 8, 2014

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NY -17,548   Fewer layoffs in the transportation and warehousing, educational services, and food services industries.
MI -1,971   Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
CA -1,262   No comment.
CT -1,079   No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
PA +1,961   Layoffs in the food service, administrative and support services, and construction industries.

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.