News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 06-336-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 : March 2, 2006
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Feb. 25, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 294,000, an increase of 15,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 279,000. The 4-week moving average was 287,250, an increase of 5,250 from the previous week's revised average of 282,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent for the week ending Feb. 18, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 1.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Feb. 18 was 2,486,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,488,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,507,500, a decrease of 2,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,510,250.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 271,543 in the week ending Feb. 25, an increase of 1,661 from the previous week. There were 290,776 initial claims in the comparable week in 2005.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent during the week ending Feb. 18, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,916,492, a decrease of 101,373 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.4 percent and the volume was 3,096,036.

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Extended benefits were available in Louisiana during the week ending Feb. 11.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 900 in the week ending Feb. 18, a decrease of 207 from the prior week. There were 1,940 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 161 from the preceding week.

There were 17,788 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Feb. 11, a decrease of 2,250 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 28,972, a decrease of 761 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Feb. 11 were in Alaska (6.1 percent), Puerto Rico (4.7), Michigan (4.5), Pennsylvania (4.0), Rhode Island (3.6), Wisconsin (3.6), New Jersey (3.3), Massachusetts (3.2), Mississippi (3.2), Illinois (3.1), Oregon (3.1), and Vermont (3.1).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Feb. 18 were in Rhode Island (+442), Pennsylvania (+384), Montana (+368), Maryland (+294), and Wyoming (+202), while the largest decreases were in Michigan (-10,195), California (-8,068), Ohio (-2,990), Illinois (-2,612), and Indiana (-2,474).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Feb. 25 Feb. 18 Change Feb. 11 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 294,000 279,000 +15,000 298,000 316,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 271,543 269,882 +1,661 310,078 290,776
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 287,250 282,000 +5,250 283,250 307,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING Feb. 18 Feb. 11 Change Feb. 4 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,486,000 2,488,000 -2,000 2,504,000 2,667,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,916,492 3,017,865 -101,373 3,006,942 3,096,036
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,507,500 2,510,250 -2,750 2,531,500 2,680,250
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 1.9% 1.9% 0.0 1.9% 2.1%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.3% 2.3% 0.0 2.3% 2.4%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Feb. 18
Feb. 11
Change
Year
Federal Employees 900 1,107 -207 978
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,940 2,101 -161 1,762
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
Feb. 11
Feb. 4
Change
Year
Federal Employees 17,788 20,038 -2,250 19,304
Newly Discharged Veterans 28,972 29,733 -761 26,996
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 4,000
Extended Benefits 4,355 2,902 +1,453 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 128,767,336 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 02/18/2006 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MI -10,195 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
CA -8,068 Decrease due to a shorter workweek. Monday, February 13th, was a California state holiday.
OH -2,990 No comment.
IL -2,612 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.
IN -2,474 No comment.
NY -1,721 No comment.
WI -1,331 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.
GA -1,284 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.
NC -1,019 Fewer layoffs in the electrical equipment, electronic equipment, transportation equipment, textile, and apparel industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
None    

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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