News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 08-424-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. (EDT), THURSDAY
Media Contact : April 3, 2008
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending March 29, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 407,000, an increase of 38,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 369,000. The 4-week moving average was 374,500, an increase of 15,750 from the previous week's revised average of 358,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent for the week ending March 22, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.1 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 22 was 2,937,000, an increase of 97,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,840,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,859,000, an increase of 32,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,826,750.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 343,484 in the week ending March 29, an increase of 28,181 from the previous week. There were 268,218 initial claims in the comparable week in 2007.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent during the week ending March 22, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,219,407, a decrease of 21,038 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.1 percent and the volume was 2,727,408.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending March 15.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 763 in the week ending March 22, a decrease of 78 from the prior week. There were 1,264 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 155 from the preceding week.

There were 15,290 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 15, an increase of 689 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 21,727, a decrease of 729 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending March 15 were in Alaska (4.9 percent), Michigan (4.4), Rhode Island (4.0), Pennsylvania (3.8), Wisconsin (3.6), Idaho (3.5), California (3.4), New Jersey (3.4), Oregon (3.4), and Vermont (3.4).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 22 were in Pennsylvania (+2,904), Wisconsin (+1,526), Georgia (+1,481), New York (+1,478), and Iowa (+916), while the largest decreases were in Michigan (-7,660), Ohio (-5,992), North Carolina (-5,584), Puerto Rico (-2,854), and Texas (-2,547).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING March 29 March 22 Change March 15 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 407,000 369,000 +38,000 375,000 319,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 343,484 315,303 +28,181 335,917 268,218
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 374,500 358,750 +15,750 356,250 311,750
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING March 22 March 15 Change March 8 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,937,000 2,840,000 +97,000 2,865,000 2,489,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,219,407 3,240,445 -21,038 3,297,238 2,727,408
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,859,000 2,826,750 +32,250 2,802,750 2,504,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.2% 2.1% +0.1 2.2% 1.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 2.4% 2.4% 0.0 2.5% 2.1%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
March 22
March 15
Change
Year
Federal Employees 763 841 -78 904
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,264 1,419 -155 1,701
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
March 15
March 8
Change
Year
Federal Employees 15,290 14,601 +689 16,326
Newly Discharged Veterans 21,727 22,456 -729 22,935
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 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 03/22/2008 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MI -7,660 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
OH -5,992 No comment.
NC -5,584 Fewer layoffs in the rubber/plastics, transportation equipment, furniture, construction, and trade industries.
PR -2,854 No comment.
TX -2,547 Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
MO -1,825 Fewer layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.
IN -1,823 Fewer layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NY +1,478 Layoffs in the service, information, and manufacturing industries.
GA +1,481 Layoffs in the textile industry.
WI +1,526 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, transportation, warehousing, and manufacturing industries.
PA +2,904 Layoffs in the electrical equipment, public administration, food, and transportation industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current


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