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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Feb. 19, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 391,000, a decrease of 22,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 413,000. The 4-week moving average was 402,000, a decrease of 16,500 from the previous week's revised average of 418,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent for the week ending Feb. 12, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.1 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Feb.12 was 3,790,000, a decrease of 145,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,935,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,892,750, a decrease of 54,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,947,500.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 383,998 in the week ending Feb. 19, a decrease of 40,404 from the previous week. There were 454,492 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.6 percent during the week ending Feb. 12, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,536,884, a decrease of 35,422 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 4.3 percent and the volume was 5,546,408.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending Feb 5 was 9,158,980.

Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, during the week ending Feb 5.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,970 in the week ending Feb. 12, a decrease of 225 from the prior week. There were 2,352 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 232 from the preceding week.

There were 45,505 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Feb. 5, a decrease of 3,290 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 41,473, an increase of 891 from the prior week.

States reported 3,685,361 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Feb. 5, an increase of 55,757 from the prior week. There were 5,479,190 claimants in the comparable week in 2010. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Feb. 5 were in Alaska (7.2 percent), Idaho (5.4), Montana (5.3), Wisconsin (5.3), Oregon (5.1), Pennsylvania (5.1), Puerto Rico (5.1), Rhode Island (5.1), New Jersey (4.8), and Connecticut (4.7).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Feb. 12 were in Missouri (+2,332), Texas (+2,171), Wisconsin (+1,795), Louisiana (+1,425), and Indiana (+1,031), while the largest decreases were in Pennsylvania (-5,174), Michigan (-4,206), California (-3,063), Ohio (-2,173), and Maryland (-1,985).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance Feb. 19

Feb. 12

Change

Feb. 5

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

391,000

413,000

-22,000

385,000

486,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

383,998

424,402

-40,404

440,706

454,492

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

402,000

418,500

-16,500

416,000

473,500

WEEK ENDING

Advance Feb. 12

Feb. 5

Change

Jan. 29

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,790,000

3,935,000

-145,000

3,910,000

4,794,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

4,536,884

4,572,306

-35,422

4,605,543

5,546,408

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,892,750

3,947,500

-54,750

3,938,000

4,825,500

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.0%

3.1%

-0.1

3.1%

3.7%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

3.6%

3.6%

0.0

3.7%

4.3%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Feb. 12

Feb. 5

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

1,970

2,195

-225

1,210

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,352

2,584

-232

2,223

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Feb. 5

Jan. 29

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

4,556,611

4,590,598

-33,987

5,574,599

Federal Employees (UCFE)

45,505

48,795

-3,290

24,104

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

41,473

40,582

+891

36,501

EUC 20083

3,685,361

3,629,604

+55,757

5,479,190

Extended Benefits4

761,481

872,568

-111,087

189,468

State Additional Benefits 5

7,848

7,733

+115

1,965

STC / Workshare 6

60,701

58,882

+1,819

88,138

TOTAL

9,158,980

9,248,762

-89,782

11,393,965

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 125,560,066 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity. Tier-specific EUC data can be found here: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/persons.xls4 - Information on the EB program can be found here: http://www.ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/extenben.asp 5 - Some states maintain additional benefit programs for those claimants who exhaust regular, extended and emergency benefits. Information on states that participate and the extent of benefits can be found starting on page 4-5 of this link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf 6 - Information on STC/Worksharing can be found starting on page 4-9 of the following link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 02/12/2011

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

PA

-5,174

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

MI

-4,206

Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.

CA

-3,063

No comment.

OH

-2,173

No comment.

MD

-1,985

No comment.

SC

-1,321

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

VA

-1,156

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

TN

-1,142

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

IL

-1,129

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

IN

+1,031

Layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, and manufacturing industries.

LA

+1,425

Return to normal weather conditions. During the prior week there were statewide office closures due to inclement weather.

WI

+1,795

No comment.

TX

+2,171

Layoffs in the insurance, service, and manufacturing industries.

MO

+2,332

Layoffs in the construction industry.

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

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/

Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
February 24, 2011