News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 08-402-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 : March 27, 2008
(202) 693-4676  
 

Note: This week's release reflects the annual revision to the weekly unemployment claims seasonal adjustment factors. The historical factors from 2003 forward have been revised. The calendar year 2008 factors can be accessed at the following link: http://www.ows.doleta.gov/press/2008/032708.asp

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending March 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 366,000, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 375,000. The 4-week moving average was 358,000, an increase of 1,750 from the previous week's revised average of 356,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.1 percent for the week ending March 15, unchanged from the prior week's revised rate of 2.1 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 15 was 2,845,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,850,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,824,250, an increase of 25,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,799,000.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 312,867 in the week ending March 22, a decrease of 22,827 from the previous week. There were 273,432 initial claims in the comparable week in 2007.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent during the week ending March 15, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,246,517, a decrease of 34,209 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.2 percent and the volume was 2,826,536.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending March 8.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 831 in the week ending March 15, a decrease of 31 from the prior week. There were 1,419 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 165 from the preceding week.

There were 14,534 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 8, a decrease of 2,073 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 22,312, a decrease of 247 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending March 8 were in Alaska (4.5 percent), Michigan (4.2), Rhode Island (4.0), Idaho (3.7), Pennsylvania (3.7), Wisconsin (3.7), New Jersey (3.5), Oregon (3.5), Vermont (3.5), California (3.3), and Massachusetts (3.3).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 15 were in Michigan (+6,700), Ohio (+5,486), Missouri (+3,235), North Carolina (+2,586), and Texas (+2,175), while the largest decreases were in California (-5,016), New York (-2,138), Wisconsin (-2,005), Georgia (-1,862), and Florida
(-1,651).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING March 22 March 15 Change March 8 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 366,000 375,000 -9,000 347,000 306,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 312,867 335,694 -22,827 341,233 273,432
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 358,000 356,250 +1,750 348,000 312,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING March 15 March 8 Change March 1 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,845,000 2,850,000 -5,000 2,794,000 2,499,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,246,517 3,280,726 -34,209 3,341,108 2,826,536
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,824,250 2,799,000 +25,250 2,780,000 2,509,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.1% 2.1% 0.0 2.1% 1.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 2.4% 2.5% -0.1 2.5% 2.2%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
March 15
March 8
Change
Year
Federal Employees 831 862 -31 848
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,419 1,584 -165 1,605
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
March 8
March 1
Change
Year
Federal Employees 14,534 16,607 -2,073 14,423
Newly Discharged Veterans 22,312 22,559 -247 23,712
Railroad Retirement Board 4,000 4,000 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 03/15/2008 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -5,016 Fewer layoffs in the trade and service industries.
NY -2,138 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and transportation industries.
WI -2,005 Fewer layoffs in the construction, transportation, warehousing, and manufacturing industries.
GA -1,862 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.
FL -1,651 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
IL -1,586 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.
AR -1,048 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
TX +2,175 Layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
NC +2,586 Layoffs in the trade, transportation equipment, furniture, and textile industries.
MO +3,235 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
OH +5,486 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
MI +6,700 Layoffs in the automobile industry.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

Updated Weekly Seasonal Adjustment Factors -- ASCII text format

Updated Weekly Seasonal Adjustment Factors -- Microsoft Excel format


This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-693-4676. TDD Message Phone: 1-800-326-2577.  News releases from the U.S. Department of Labor are accessible on the Internet at: http://www.dol.gov/ and  http://www.ows.doleta.gov/