News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 08-283-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 : March 6, 2008
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending March 1, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 351,000, a decrease of 24,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 375,000. The 4-week moving average was 359,500, a decrease of 1,500 from the previous week's revised average of 361,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.1 percent for the week ending Feb. 23, 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. 23 was 2,831,000, an increase of 29,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,802,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,789,000, an increase of 12,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,776,250.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 342,855 in the week ending March 1, an increase of 12,785 from the previous week. There were 320,194 initial claims in the comparable week in 2007.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent during the week ending Feb. 23, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,383,128, an increase of 84,766 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.3 percent and the volume was 3,013,239.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Feb. 16.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 843 in the week ending Feb. 23, a decrease of 33 from the prior week. There were 1,284 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 140 from the preceding week.

There were 17,080 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Feb. 16, an increase of 747 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 22,507, a decrease of 709 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Feb. 16 were in Alaska (5.2 percent), Michigan (4.4), Rhode Island (4.1), Pennsylvania (4.0), Idaho (3.9), Wisconsin (3.8), New Jersey (3.5), Oregon (3.5), Montana (3.4), Massachusetts (3.3), and Vermont (3.3).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Feb. 23 were in Massachusetts (+3,908), California (+3,022), Connecticut (+1,993), Louisiana (+1,851), and New Jersey (+1,494), while the largest decreases were in North Carolina (-1,829), Indiana (-1,296), Pennsylvania (-1,118), Tennessee
(-1,090), and Washington (-981).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING March 1 Feb. 23 Change Feb. 16 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 351,000 375,000 -24,000 354,000 327,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 342,855 330,070 +12,785 325,754 320,194
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 359,500 361,000 -1,500 361,750 338,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Feb. 23 Feb. 16 Change Feb. 9 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,831,000 2,802,000 +29,000 2,786,000 2,522,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,383,128 3,298,362 +84,766 3,315,409 3,013,239
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,789,000 2,776,250 +12,750 2,753,250 2,548,000
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.1% 2.1% 0.0 2.1% 1.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 2.5% 2.5% 0.0 2.5% 2.3%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Feb. 23
Feb. 16
Change
Year
Federal Employees 843 876 -33 971
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,284 1,424 -140 1,572
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Feb. 16
Feb. 9
Change
Year
Federal Employees 17,080 16,333 +747 18,962
Newly Discharged Veterans 22,507 23,216 -709 24,417
Railroad Retirement Board 4,000 4,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 0 0 0 2
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 02/23/2008 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NC -1,829 Fewer layoffs in the transportation equipment industry.
IN -1,296 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
PA -1,118 Fewer layoffs in the rubber/plastics, electrical equipment, and primary metals industries.
TN -1,090 Fewer layoffs in the fabricated metals, apparel, trade, and service industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
GA +1,066 Layoffs in the textile and manufacturing industries.
NJ +1,494 Layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, and service industries.
LA +1,851 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
CT +1,993 Layoffs in the transportation and service industries.
CA +3,022 Layoffs in the construction industry.
MA +3,908 Layoffs in the transportation and service industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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