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News Release

EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION

USDL 09-179-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 26, 2009

(202) 693-4676

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Feb. 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 667,000, an increase of 36,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 631,000. The 4-week moving average was 639,000, an increase of 19,000 from the previous week's revised average of 620,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.8 percent for the week ending Feb. 14, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.7 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Feb. 14 was 5,112,000, an increase of 114,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,998,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,932,250, an increase of 89,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,843,000.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 4.466 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 602,730 in the week ending Feb. 21, a decrease of 17,221 from the previous week. There were 329,925 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.6 percent during the week ending Feb. 14, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 6,098,530, an increase of 126,384 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.5 percent and the volume was 3,298,510.

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, Puerto Rico, and Rhode Island during the week ending Feb. 7.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,244 in the week ending Feb. 14, a decrease of 252 from the prior week. There were 1,941 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 75 from the preceding week.

There were 19,559 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Feb. 7, a decrease of 1,675 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 28,129, an increase of 97 from the prior week.

States reported 1,393,834 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Feb. 7, a decrease of 157,312 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Feb. 7 were in Michigan (7.5 percent), Oregon (7.3), Idaho (7.0), Wisconsin (6.4), Pennsylvania (6.2), Nevada (5.9), Montana (5.7), Rhode Island (5.7), Alaska (5.6), Indiana (5.5), and New Jersey (5.5).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Feb. 14 were in New Jersey (+2,093), Virginia (+912), Rhode Island (+493), Vermont (+106), and South Dakota (+22), while the largest decreases were in California (-16,550), Kentucky (-7,741), Pennsylvania (-6,547), Illinois (-6,248), and New York (-3,955).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Feb. 21

Feb. 14

Change

Feb. 7

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

667,000

631,000

+36,000

627,000

359,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

602,730

619,951

-17,221

710,152

329,925

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

639,000

620,000

+19,000

608,500

347,750

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Feb. 14

Feb. 7

Change

Jan. 31

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

5,112,000

4,998,000

+114,000

4,820,000

2,744,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

6,098,530

5,972,146

+126,384

5,953,114

3,298,510

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

4,932,250

4,843,000

+89,250

4,747,750

2,746,500

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.8%

3.7%

+0.1

3.6%

2.1%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

4.6%

4.5%

+0.1

4.4%

2.5%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Feb. 14

Feb. 7

Change

Year

Federal Employees

1,244

1,496

-252

879

Newly Discharged Veterans

1,941

2,016

-75

1,426

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Feb. 7

Jan. 31

Change

Year

Federal Employees

19,559

21,234

-1,675

16,413

Newly Discharged Veterans

28,129

28,032

+97

23,306

Railroad Retirement Board

9,000

9,000

0

4,000

Extended Benefits

2,710

1,309

+1,401

0

EUC 2008

1,393,834

1,551,146

-157,312

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.

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-16,550

Fewer layoffs in the trade and service industries.

KY

-7,741

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

PA

-6,547

Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and transportation industries.

IL

-6,248

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

NY

-3,955

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

OH

-3,783

No comment.

MI

-3,704

No comment.

WI

-3,698

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

FL

-3,486

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

TN

-3,343

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

AR

-3,155

Fewer layoffs in the trade industry.

NC

-3,026

Fewer layoffs in the textile, electrical equipment, and electronic equipment industries.

GA

-2,967

Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.

KS

-2,884

No comment.

MO

-2,313

Fewer layoffs in the construction and trade industries.

WA

-1,989

No comment.

OR

-1,812

No comment.

IA

-1,726

No comment.

AL

-1,614

Fewer layoffs in the primary metals and transportation equipment industries.

IN

-1,556

Fewer layoffs in the automobile, transportation, trade, and manufacturing industries.

MA

-1,309

No comment.

TX

-1,187

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

MD

-1,158

No comment.

PR

-1,104

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

NJ

+2,093

Layoffs in the trade, service, transportation, warehousing, and manufacturing industries.

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
February 26, 2009