Office of Unemployment Insurance
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UI Weekly Claims
| 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.
Weekly Claims Data
News Release Archives for Employment and Training Administration
Please note that the EB trigger notice has been modified to reflect recent Federal law changes allowing states to adopt a three year look-back for their EB triggers. There are new columns to the left of the IUR column showing the number of years each state uses in its look-back. There is also a new column showing a third year of look-back percentages for the TURs just to the left of the available weeks.
If you have questions or comments about the trigger notices or description of state eligibility, please feel free to email us directly at UI-Reports@uis.doleta.gov.
Historical EB and EUC Triggers can also be viewed at our Web site:
http://www.workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/unemploy/claims_arch.asp
Recent and Prospective Changes to State EB and EUC Trigger Status as of February 12, 2012:
Pennsylvania amended its law to extend the use of the three year look back retroactive to December 31, 2011, and will continue to be in an Extended Benefit Period.
Federal law currently provides for 100% Federal sharing for benefit costs under the Federal-State EB program for weeks of unemployment beginning before March 7, 2012. States that have linked the expiration of their EB TUR trigger to the termination of 100% Federal sharing for EB will soon trigger off. Absent Federal enactments to extend 100% Federal sharing for EB, the following states will trigger off with the week ending February 18, 2012 and conclude their payable period on March 10, 2012: AL, CA, CO, DC, DE, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, KY, MD , MO, NV, OH, PA, SC, TN, TX, WI and WV. In New York, where weeks end on a Sunday, absent Federal enactments, the state will trigger off with the week ending February 19, 2012 and conclude its payable period on March 11, 2012. Massachusetts would trigger off with the week of March 3, respectively, and conclude its payable period in the EB program March 24, respectively.
The Federal authorization to have a three year look-back expires on February 29, 2012. States with permanent TUR triggers that have tied their three year look-back to the period for 100% Federal sharing for EB or the period allowed for by Federal Law will soon trigger off. Absent Federal enactments to extend 100% Federal sharing for EB and the Federal authorization for a three year look-back, the following states will trigger off with the week ending February 18, 2012 and conclude their payable period on March 10, 2012: KS, NC, and NJ. Absent Federal enactments to extend the Federal authorization for a three year look-back, the following states will trigger off with the week ending March 3, 2012 and conclude their payable periods on March 24, 2012: CT, OR, RI and WA.
Extended Benefits:
- With the expiration of its three year look-back, and the conclusion of a thirteen week mandatory "on" period, Pennsylvania’s EB period concluded February 4, 2012.
- Based on data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on January 24, 2012, Maine and Michigan do not meet one of the necessary criteria to remain on in the EB program: having a TUR at least ten percent greater than the comparable rate in any of the three prior years. This triggered Maine and Michigan "off" the EB program with the week ending January 28, 2012. The end of the payable period in both states in the EB program will be February 18, 2012.
Emergency Unemployment Compensation:
- Based on data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on January 24, 2012, the three month average, seasonally adjusted total unemployment rate for Connecticut and Missouri fell below the threshold to remain "on" in Tier 4 of the EUC 2008 program. As a result, the current maximum potential entitlement in both of these states in the EUC 2008 program will decrease from 53 weeks to 47 weeks. The week ending February 18, 2012 will be the last week in which EUC claimants in Connecticut and Missouri can exhaust Tier 3, and establish Tier 4 eligibility. Under the phase-out provisions, claimants in Connecticut and Missouri can receive any remaining entitlement they have in Tier 4 after February 18, 2012.
- Based on data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on February 3, 2012, the estimated three month average, seasonally adjusted total unemployment rate for the Virgin Islands fell below the 8.5% threshold necessary to remain "on" in Tier 4 of the EUC 2008 program. The 13 week mandatory "on" period for the Virgin Islands in Tier 4 of the EUC 2008 program concluded January 21, 2012, so Virgin Islands is eligible to trigger "off" of Tier 4. As a result of this, the current maximum potential entitlement for Virgin Islands in the EUC 2008 program will decrease from 53 weeks to 47 weeks. The week ending February 25, 2012 will be the last week in which EUC claimants in the Virgin Islands can exhaust Tier 3, and establish Tier 4 eligibility. Under the phase-out provisions, claimants can receive any remaining entitlement they have in Tier 4 after February 25, 2012.