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



 
SELECTED MEASURES OF UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROGRAMS

In August, the percentages of the unemployed who had been out of work 
for less than 5 weeks, for 15-26 weeks, and for 27 weeks and over fell; 
the percentage for 5-14 weeks rose. The mean duration of unemployment 
fell to 13.2 weeks and the median duration rose to 6.5 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: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      2,322
 
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      2,861
      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    r 2,767
      Mar..................................................    5,783    42.7    32.6    12.7    12.0     13.5      6.9      44.5       13.5    34.5      7.5        2,177        295      2,727
      Apr..................................................    6,022    45.7    30.6    12.7    11.0     13.1      6.1      44.6       13.9    33.8      7.7        2,182        308    r 2,213
      May..................................................    5,795    42.5    31.3    13.7    12.6     13.4      6.7      45.1       13.4    34.5      7.0        2,185        306    r 2,102
      June.................................................    5,975    42.6    29.3    13.9    14.2     14.5      6.2      45.1       14.5    34.6      5.9        2,213        305    r 2,127
      July.................................................    5,947    45.0    29.7    13.2    12.1     13.6      5.7      46.4       12.8    34.0      6.8        2,224      r 296      2,061
      Aug..................................................    5,853    44.6    30.8    12.7    12.0     13.2      6.5      45.6       13.6    32.5      8.3   ............    p 287  ..........
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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).