News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 12-328-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 February 23, 2012
   

 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending February 18, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 351,000, unchanged from the previous week's revised figure of 351,000. The 4-week moving average was 359,000, a decrease of 7,000 from the previous week's revised average of 366,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent for the week ending February 11, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending February 11, was 3,392,000, a decrease of 52,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,444,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,453,250, a decrease of 43,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,497,000.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 345,216 in the week ending February 18, a decrease of 19,888 from the previous week. There were 380,985 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.2 percent during the week ending February 11, an increase 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 3,996,051, an increase of 11,166 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.7 percent and the volume was 4,587,740.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending February 4 was 7,502,791, a decrease of 178,619 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 4.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,383 in the week ending February 11, a decrease of 195 from the prior week. There were 2,520 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 373 from the preceding week.

There were 28,804 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending February 4, a decrease of 1,506 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 42,021, a decrease of 829 from the prior week.

States reported 2,919,330 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending February 4, a decrease of 83,145 from the prior week. There were 3,685,361 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 4 were in Alaska (6.8), Idaho (4.6), Montana (4.6), Oregon (4.6), Wisconsin (4.6), Pennsylvania ( 4.5), Rhode Island (4.5), New Jersey (4.3), Puerto Rico (4.3), Connecticut (4.1), and Michigan (4.1).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending February 11 were in Massachusetts (+853), Puerto Rico (+352), Nebraska ( +345), Hawaii (+ 85), and Rhode Island (+69), while the largest decreases were in California (-8,462), Pennsylvania (-3,789), New York (-2,429), North Carolina
(-2,199), and South Carolina (-1,538).

 

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
WEEK ENDING Advance Feb. 18 Feb. 11 Change Feb. 4 Prior Year1
Initial Claims (SA) 351,000 351,000 0 361,000 384,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 345,216 365,104 -19,888 401,365 380,985
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 359,000 366,000 -7,000 367,000 404,750
WEEK ENDING Advance Feb. 11 Feb. 4 Change Jan. 28 Prior Year1
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,392,000 3,444,000 -52,000 3,526,000 3,852,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,996,051 3,984,885 +11,166 4,097,007 4,587,740
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,453,250 3,497,000 -43,750 3,500,750 3,935,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.7% 2.7% 0.0 2.8% 3.1%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 3.2% 3.1% +0.1 3.2% 3.7%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
Feb. 11
Feb. 4
Change
Prior Year1
Federal Employees 1,383 1,578 -195 1,971
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,520 2,893 -373 2,352
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
Feb. 4
Jan. 28
Change
Prior Year1
Regular State 3,974,003 4,087,142 -113,139 4,559,945
Federal Employees (UCFE) 28,804 30,310 -1,506 45,589
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 42,021 42,850 -829 40,498
EUC 20083 2,919,330 3,002,475 -83,145 3,685,361
Extended Benefits4 489,487 475,308 +14,179 761,683
State Additional Benefits 5 4,574 4,524 +50 7,898
STC / Workshare 6 44,572 38,801 +5,771 60,701
TOTAL 7,502,791 7,681,410 -178,619 9,161,675
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: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/persons.xls
4 - Information on the EB program can be found here: http://www.ows.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: http://ows.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: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf

 

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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 02/11/2012

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -8,462 Fewer layoffs in the service and retail industries.
PA -3,789 Fewer layoffs in the construction, retail, professional, scientific and technology services, entertainment, and service industries.
NY -2,429 Fewer layoffs in the food service, construction, and retail industries .
NC -2,199 Fewer layoffs in the construction, food and kindred products, electronic, leather, and furniture and fixtures industries.
SC -1,538 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
IL -1,312 No comment.
OH -1,280 No comment.
TX -1,253 No comment.
MI -1,245 No comment.
GA -1,137 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, administrative and support service industries.
KY -1,066 No comment.
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

 

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