[Economic Indicators March, 1999]
[Page Number 13]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



 
SELECTED MEASURES OF UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROGRAMS

In March, the percentage of the unemployed who had been out of work for 
less than 5 weeks was unchanged; the percentages for 5-14 weeks and for 
15-26 weeks rose; and the percentage for 27 weeks and over fell. The 
mean duration of unemployment fell to 13.5 weeks and the median duration 
fell to 6.9 weeks.
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                                                                       [Monthly data seasonally adjusted, except as noted]
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                                                                                  Duration of unemployment                Reason for unemployment:  percent       State  programs       Insured
                                                                     --------------------------------------------------              distribution             -----------------------    unem-
                                                               Un-         Percent distribution        Number of weeks ---------------------------------------                         ployment,
                                                             employ- --------------------------------------------------                                                                   all
                           Period                              ment                             27                                                                Insured    Initial    regular
                                                              (thou-   Less    5-14    15-26   weeks  Average           Job losers    Job     Reen-     New    unemployment   claims   programs
                                                              sands)  than 5   weeks   weeks    and    (mean)   Median      \1\     leavers  trants  entrants                         (unadjust-
                                                                       weeks                   over                                                                                     ed) \2\
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                                                                                                                                                                   Weekly average, thousands
 
                                                                                                                                                              ----------------------------------
 
1989.......................................................    6,528    48.6    30.3    11.2     9.9     11.9      4.8      45.7       15.7    28.2     10.4        2,158        330      2,205
1990.......................................................    7,047    46.3    32.0    11.7    10.0     12.0      5.3      48.1       14.8    27.4      9.8        2,522        388      2,575
1991.......................................................    8,628    40.3    32.4    14.4    12.9     13.7      6.8      54.4       11.6    24.8      9.2        3,342        447      3,406
1992.......................................................    9,613    35.1    29.4    15.1    20.3     17.7      8.7      56.1       10.4    23.8      9.7        3,245        408      3,348
1993.......................................................    8,940    36.5    28.9    14.5    20.1     18.0      8.3      54.2       10.9    24.6     10.3        2,751        341      2,845
1994 \3\...................................................    7,996    34.1    30.1    15.5    20.3     18.8      9.2      47.7        9.9    34.8      7.6        2,670        340      2,739
1995.......................................................    7,404    36.5    31.6    14.6    17.3     16.6      8.3      46.9       11.1    34.1      7.8        2,572        357      2,633
1996.......................................................    7,236    36.4    31.6    14.6    17.4     16.7      8.3      46.6       10.7    34.7      8.0        2,595        356      2,650
1997.......................................................    6,739    37.7    31.7    14.8    15.8     15.8      8.0      45.1       11.8    34.7      8.4        2,323        323      2,366
1998.......................................................    6,210    42.2    31.4    12.3    14.1     14.5      6.7      45.5       11.8    34.3      8.4        2,220        320      2,255
 
1998:Mar...................................................    6,432    43.0    30.4    12.8    13.8     14.6      6.9      45.9       11.6    34.0      8.5        2,170        308      2,790
      Apr..................................................    5,952    43.7    32.1    10.1    14.2     14.5      6.6      45.3       10.7    35.4      8.7        2,136        311      2,249
      May..................................................    6,039    42.9    32.3    11.0    13.8     14.7      6.1      45.8       12.2    33.8      8.2        2,112        316      1,993
      June.................................................    6,245    41.1    32.5    13.4    13.0     14.1      6.7      45.6       12.1    34.0      8.3        2,235        353      2,073
      July.................................................    6,231    42.3    31.8    12.6    13.3     14.3      6.7      46.4       12.5    33.5      7.7        2,372        325      2,208
      Aug..................................................    6,217    42.4    31.3    13.0    13.3     13.7      6.8      45.7       11.8    34.3      8.2        2,230        305      2,224
      Sept.................................................    6,263    42.3    31.5    11.7    14.5     14.3      6.6      45.8       11.6    34.6      8.0        2,166        301      1,845
      Oct..................................................    6,258    44.1    30.3    11.7    13.9     14.1      5.9      44.9       11.7    34.2      9.2        2,195        313      1,712
      Nov..................................................    6,080    41.5    32.3    12.2    14.0     14.4      6.7      45.2       11.1    34.9      8.8        2,238        320      2,059
      Dec..................................................    6,021    43.3    30.5    12.5    13.7     14.1      6.7      45.9       11.8    33.9      8.4        2,262        323      2,320
 
1999:Jan...................................................    5,950    39.9    35.1    12.8    12.1     13.4      6.9      45.5       11.8    33.6      9.1        2,270        319    r 2,846
      Feb..................................................    6,127    42.7    31.9    12.6    12.9     13.8      7.0      44.8       12.3    34.5      8.3        2,228        291      2,766
      Mar..................................................    5,783    42.7    32.6    12.7    12.0     13.5      6.9      44.5       13.5    34.5      7.5   ............    p 294  ..........
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    \1\ Beginning January 1994, job 
losers and persons who completed 
temporary jobs.
    \2\ Includes State (50 States, 
District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, 
and Virgin Islands), ex-servicemen 
(UCX), and Federal (UCFE). Railroad 
(RR) programs included through 1993. 
Also includes Federal and State 
extended benefit programs. Does not 
include Federal supplemental 
compensation or Emergency 
Unemployment Compensation programs.
    \3\ Data beginning January 1994 
are not directly comparable with 
data for earlier periods.
    Note.--Data relate to persons 
age 16 years and over (except for 
insured unemployment and initial 
claims).
    Source: Department of Labor 
(Bureau of Labor Statistics and 
Employment and Training 
Administration).