News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 12-296-NAT
   
   
Program Contacts: 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: (202) 693-4676 February 16, 2012
   

 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending February 11, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 348,000, a decrease of 13,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 361,000. The 4-week moving average was 365,250, a decrease of 1,750 from the previous week's revised average of 367,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent for the week ending February 4, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending February 4, was 3,426,000, a decrease of 100,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,526,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,492,500, a decrease of 8,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,500,750.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 361,928 in the week ending February 11, a decrease of 39,328 from the previous week. There were 424,400 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.1 percent during the week ending February 4, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,964,007, a decrease of 133,493 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.6 percent and the volume was 4,575,640.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending January 28 was 7,681,911, an increase of 18,304 from the previous week.

 

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Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending January 28.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,581 in the week ending February 4, a decrease of 115 from the prior week. There were 2,893 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 50 from the preceding week.

There were 30,249 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending January 28, an increase of 435 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 42,902, a decrease of 62 from the prior week.

States reported 3,002,475 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending January 28, an increase of 16,568 from the prior week. There were 3,629,604 claimants in the comparable week in 2011. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending January 28 were in Alaska (6.6), Pennsylvania (5.0), Montana (4.8), Oregon (4.7), Idaho (4.6), Wisconsin (4.6), New Jersey (4.4), Rhode Island (4.4), Illinois (4.3), Connecticut (4.2), and Puerto Rico (4.2).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending February 4 were in California (+5,864), North Carolina (+1,211), Illinois (+761), Puerto Rico (+497), and Kansas (+445), while the largest decreases were in Washington (-6,294), Oregon (-3,831), Michigan (-2,551), Wisconsin (-1,438), and New Jersey (-1,266).

 

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
WEEK ENDING Advance Feb. 11 Feb. 4 Change Jan. 28 Prior Year1
Initial Claims (SA) 348,000 361,000 -13,000 373,000 420,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 361,928 401,256 -39,328 422,287 424,400
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 365,250 367,000 -1,750 377,250 419,500
WEEK ENDING Advance Feb. 4 Jan. 28 Change Jan. 21 Prior Year1
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,426,000 3,526,000 -100,000 3,451,000 3,982,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,964,007 4,097,500 -133,493 4,058,236 4,575,640
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,492,500 3,500,750 -8,250 3,531,000 3,977,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.7% 2.8% -0.1 2.7% 3.2%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 3.1% 3.2% -0.1 3.2% 3.6%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
Feb. 4
Jan. 28
Change
Prior Year1
Federal Employees 1,581 1,696 -115 2,195
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,893 2,843 +50 2,584
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
Jan. 28
Jan. 21
Change
Prior Year1
Regular State 4,087,629 4,049,316 +38,313 4,590,598
Federal Employees (UCFE) 30,249 29,814 +435 48,795
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 42,902 42,964 -62 40,582
EUC 20083 3,002,475 2,985,907 +16,568 3,629,604
Extended Benefits4 475,331 514,691 -39,360 872,568
State Additional Benefits 5 4,524 4,234 +290 7,733
STC / Workshare 6 38,801 36,681 +2,120 58,882
TOTAL 7,681,911 7,663,607 +18,304 9,248,762
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 126,579,970 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.xls
4 - 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 paid, 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

 

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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 02/4/2012

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
WA -6,294 No comment.
OR -3,831 No comment.
MI -2,551 No comment.
WI -1,438 No comment.
NJ -1,266 Fewer layoffs in the construction, retail, administrative, service, health care, and manufacturing industries.
CT -1,144 No comment.
IN -1,111 No comment.
OH -1,094 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA +5,864 Layoffs in the service and retail industries.
NC +1,211 Layoffs in the construction, food and kindred products, leather, and electronic industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

 

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