News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 05-270-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Subri Raman (202) 693-3058 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176 8:30 A.M. (EST), THURSDAY
Media Contact : February 17, 2005
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Feb. 12, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 302,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 304,000. The 4-week moving average was 311,750, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised average of 315,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.1 percent for the week ending Feb. 5, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.2 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Feb. 5 was 2,717,000, a decrease of 14,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,731,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,737,500, an increase of 4,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,732,750.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 308,044 in the week ending Feb. 12, a decrease of 39,134 from the previous week. There were 341,634 initial claims in the comparable week in 2004.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent during the week ending Feb. 5, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,221,980, a decrease of 74,108 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.0 percent and the volume was 3,776,188.

-more-

 

2

Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending Jan. 29.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,442 in the week ending Feb. 5, a decrease of 9 from the prior week. There were 1,957 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 2 from the preceding week.

There were 20,317 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Jan. 29, a decrease of 1,596 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 27,364, a decrease of 747 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Jan. 29 were in Alaska (6.6 percent), Pennsylvania (4.5), Michigan (4.2), Idaho (4.0), Puerto Rico (3.8), Wisconsin (3.8), Massachusetts (3.7), New Jersey (3.7), Oregon (3.7), and Rhode Island (3.7).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Feb. 5 were in Michigan (+1,985), Minnesota (+1,982), Mississippi (+811), Georgia (+750), and New Jersey (+599), while the largest decreases were in North Carolina (-3,301), Louisiana (-2,657), New York (-2,335), Indiana (-1,907), and Ohio (-1,702).

-more-

 

3
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Feb.12 Feb. 5 Change Jan. 29 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 302,000 304,000 -2,000 316,000 350,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 308,044 347,178 -39,134 364,704 341,634
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 311,750 315,750 -4,000 331,500 360,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Feb. 5 Jan. 29 Change Jan. 22 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,717,000 2,731,000 -14,000 2,691,000 3,230,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,221,980 3,296,088 -74,108 3,263,705 3,776,188
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,737,500 2,732,750 +4,750 2,711,750 3,182,000
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.1% 2.2% -0.1 2.1% 2.6%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.5% 2.6% -0.1 2.6% 3.0%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Feb. 5
Jan. 29
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,442 1,451 -9 1,325
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,957 1,955 +2 1,981
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Jan. 29
Jan. 22
Change
Year
Federal Employees 20,317 21,913 -1,596 21,582
Newly Discharged Veterans 27,364 28,111 -747 28,259
Railroad Retirement Board 4,000 4,000 0 5,000
Extended Benefits 0 1 -1 13,731
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 126,641,867 as denominator.
-more-

 

4

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 02/05/2005 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NC -3,301 Fewer layoffs in the construction and furniture industries.
LA -2,657 No comment.
NY -2,335 No comment.
IN -1,907 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
OH -1,702 No comment.
MA -1,561 No comment.
PA -1,509 Fewer layoffs in the industrial machinery, printing/publishing, transportation, trade, and manufacturing industries.
VA -1,287 Fewer layoffs in the construction industry.
MD -1,217 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MN +1,982 Layoffs in the transportation equipment industry.
MI +1,985 Layoffs in the automobile industry.

State Detail Prior Week
UI 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/