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News Release

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Feb. 14, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 627,000, unchanged from the previous week's revised figure of 627,000. The 4-week moving average was 619,000, an increase of 10,500 from the previous week's revised average of 608,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.7 percent for the week ending Feb. 7, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.6 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Feb. 7 was 4,987,000, an increase of 170,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,817,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,839,500, an increase of 92,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,747,000.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 615,232 in the week ending Feb. 14, a decrease of 94,921 from the previous week. There were 325,754 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.5 percent during the week ending Feb. 7, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 5,959,930, an increase of 10,719 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.5 percent and the volume was 3,315,409.

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, Puerto Rico, and Rhode Island during the week ending Jan. 31.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,483 in the week ending Feb. 7, a decrease of 146 from the prior week. There were 1,998 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 50 from the preceding week.

There were 21,105 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Jan. 31, an increase of 894 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 27,830, a decrease of 106 from the prior week.

States reported 1,551,146 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Jan. 31, an increase of 61,727 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Jan. 31 were in Michigan (8.1 percent), Idaho (7.0), Oregon (7.0), Pennsylvania (6.4), Wisconsin (6.3), Nevada (5.9), Alaska (5.8), Montana (5.6), Rhode Island (5.6), and Indiana (5.5).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Feb. 7 were in Kentucky (+8,419), Arkansas (+4,142), Illinois (+3,630), Texas (+3,392), and Missouri (+3,217), while the largest decreases were in California (-5,249), Tennessee (-1,718), Iowa (-1,413), Connecticut (-1,267), and South Carolina (-1,059).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Feb. 14

Feb. 7

Change

Jan. 31

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

627,000

627,000

0

631,000

342,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

615,232

710,153

-94,921

682,176

325,754

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

619,000

608,500

+10,500

583,500

349,500

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Feb. 7

Jan. 31

Change

Jan. 24

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

4,987,000

4,817,000

+170,000

4,799,000

2,774,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

5,959,930

5,949,211

+10,719

5,806,901

3,315,409

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

4,839,500

4,747,000

+92,500

4,671,500

2,736,250

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.7%

3.6%

+0.1

3.6%

2.1%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

4.5%

4.4%

+0.1

4.3%

2.5%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Feb. 7

Jan. 31

Change

Year

Federal Employees

1,483

1,629

-146

1,113

Newly Discharged Veterans

1,998

2,048

-50

1,581

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Jan. 31

Jan. 24

Change

Year

Federal Employees

21,105

20,211

+894

18,750

Newly Discharged Veterans

27,830

27,936

-106

23,488

Railroad Retirement Board

9,000

9,000

0

4,000

Extended Benefits

1,309

17,296

-15,987

0

EUC 2008

1,551,146

1,489,419

+61,727

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 133,886,830 as denominator.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 02/07/2009

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-5,249

Fewer layoffs in the construction and trade industries.

TN

-1,718

Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

IA

-1,413

No comment.

CT

-1,267

No comment.

SC

-1,059

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

MA

+1,035

Layoffs in the trade, service, finance, insurance, and manufacturing industries.

VA

+1,103

Layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.

FL

+1,144

Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.

KS

+1,187

No comment.

MN

+1,227

No comment.

PA

+1,514

Layoffs in the service and wood products industries.

IN

+1,698

Layoffs in the automobile, transportation, and manufacturing industries.

MI

+2,770

Layoffs in the automobile industry.

NY

+3,128

Layoffs in the service, finance, and insurance industries.

MO

+3,217

Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.

TX

+3,392

Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

IL

+3,630

Layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.

AR

+4,142

Layoffs in the trade and manufacturing industries.

KY

+8,419

Layoffs in the mining industry.

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
February 19, 2009