News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 08-190-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. (EST), THURSDAY
Media Contact : February 14, 2008
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Feb. 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 348,000, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 357,000. The 4-week moving average was 347,250, an increase of 12,000 from the previous week's revised average of 335,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.1 percent for the week ending Feb. 2, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.1 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Feb. 2 was 2,761,000, a decrease of 9,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,770,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,727,500, an increase of 3,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,724,000.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 366,237 in the week ending Feb. 9, a decrease of 13,815 from the previous week. There were 363,018 initial claims in the comparable week in 2007.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent during the week ending Feb. 2, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,357,880, an increase of 25,600 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.3 percent and the volume was 3,079,780.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Jan. 26.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,046 in the week ending Feb. 2, a decrease of 125 from the prior week. There were 1,563 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 188 from the preceding week.

There were 17,684 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Jan. 26, a decrease of 1,593 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 23,943, an increase of 474 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Jan. 26 were in Alaska (4.9 percent), Michigan (4.5), Rhode Island (4.0), Idaho (3.9), Wisconsin (3.9), Pennsylvania (3.8), Oregon (3.6), New Jersey (3.5), Massachusetts (3.4), Illinois (3.3), and Vermont (3.3).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Feb. 2 were in Washington (+2,710), Pennsylvania (+2,387), Oregon (+2,273), Ohio (+2,215), and Florida (+2,041), while the largest decreases were in California (-2,849), Michigan (-1,723), Maryland (-1,050), Iowa (-870), and Massachusetts (-690).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Feb. 9 Feb. 2 Change Jan. 26 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 348,000 357,000 -9,000 378,000 356,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 366,237 380,052 -13,815 369,944 363,018
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 347,250 335,250 +12,000 326,500 328,750
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Feb. 2 Jan. 26 Change Jan. 19 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,761,000 2,770,000 -9,000 2,710,000 2,549,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,357,880 3,332,280 +25,600 3,249,574 3,079,780
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,727,500 2,724,000 +3,500 2,703,500 2,498,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.1% 2.1% 0.0 2.0% 1.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 2.5% 2.5% 0.0 2.4% 2.3%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Feb. 2
Jan. 26
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,046 1,171 -125 1,176
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,563 1,375 +188 1,792
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Jan. 26
Jan. 19
Change
Year
Federal Employees 17,684 19,277 -1,593 17,556
Newly Discharged Veterans 23,943 23,469 +474 25,208
Railroad Retirement Board 4,000 4,000 0 4,000
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 02/02/2008 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -2,849 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.
MI -1,723 Fewer layoffs in all industries.
MD -1,050 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NY +1,123 Layoffs in the construction and service industries.
TX +1,163 Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
FL +2,041 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
OH +2,215 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
OR +2,273 No comment.
PA +2,387 Layoffs in the public administration, textile, petroleum, transportation equipment, primary metals, leather goods, and paper industries.
WA +2,710 Layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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