News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 07-328-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. (EST), THURSDAY
Media Contact : March 8, 2007
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending March 3, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 328,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 338,000. The 4-week moving average was 339,000, an increase of 3,750 from the previous week's unrevised average of 335,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent for the week ending Feb. 24, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Feb. 24 was 2,526,000, a decrease of 98,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,624,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,552,500, an increase of 9,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,543,250.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 318,004 in the week ending March 3, an increase of 18,951 from the previous week. There were 301,867 initial claims in the comparable week in 2006.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent during the week ending Feb. 24, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,010,865, a decrease of 64,153 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.3 percent and the volume was 2,975,296.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Feb. 17.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 970 in the week ending Feb. 24, an increase of 82 from the prior week. There were 1,567 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 17 from the preceding week.

There were 18,962 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Feb. 17, an increase of 2,756 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 24,418, an increase of 259 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Feb. 17 were in Alaska (5.4 percent), Michigan (4.7), Pennsylvania (4.3), Wisconsin (3.9), Rhode Island (3.7), New Jersey (3.5), Massachusetts (3.3), Puerto Rico (3.3), West Virginia (3.3), Montana (3.2), and Vermont (3.2).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Feb. 24 were in Massachusetts (+4,621), New Jersey (+3,449), Connecticut (+2,992), Michigan (+2,063), and Indiana (+1,486), while the largest decreases were in California (-4,380), Wisconsin (-3,180), Pennsylvania (-2,790), New York (-1,991), and Ohio (-1,622).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING March 3 Feb. 24 Change Feb. 17 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 328,000 338,000 -10,000 331,000 310,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 318,004 299,053 +18,951 305,945 301,867
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 339,000 335,250 +3,750 327,750 306,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Feb. 24 Feb. 17 Change Feb. 10 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,526,000 2,624,000 -98,000 2,506,000 2,490,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,010,865 3,075,018 -64,153 2,994,128 2,975,296
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,552,500 2,543,250 +9,250 2,523,250 2,500,000
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 1.9% 2.0% -0.1 1.9% 1.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 2.3% 2.3% 0.0 2.3% 2.3%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Feb. 24
Feb. 17
Change
Year
Federal Employees 970 888 +82 896
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,567 1,584 -17 1,753
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Feb. 17
Feb. 10
Change
Year
Federal Employees 18,962 16,206 +2,756 17,852
Newly Discharged Veterans 24,418 24,159 +259 29,099
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 2 0 +2 7,235
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 02/24/2007 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -4,380 Fewer layoffs in the construction and service industries.
WI -3,180 Fewer layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.
PA -2,790 Fewer layoffs in the construction, electrical equipment, and manufacturing industries.
NY -1,991 Fewer layoffs in the construction industry.
OH -1,622 No comment.
GA -1,179 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
IN +1,486 Layoffs in the service industry.
MI +2,063 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
CT +2,992 Layoffs in the construction, service, and transportation industries.
NJ +3,449 Layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
MA +4,621 Layoffs in the transportation industry.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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