[Economic Indicators February, 2004]
[Page Number 13]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



 
SELECTED MEASURES OF UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROGRAMS

In February, the percentages of the unemployed who had been out of work 
for less than 5 weeks and for 15-26 weeks fell; the percentages for 5-14 
weeks and for 27 weeks and over rose. The mean duration of unemployment 
rose to 20.3 weeks and the median duration fell to 10.3 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
 
                                                                                                                                                              ----------------------------------
 
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        2,222        321      2,257
1999.......................................................    5,880    43.7    31.2    12.8    12.3     13.4      6.4      44.6       13.3    34.1      8.0        2,188        298      2,219
2000 ......................................................    5,692    44.9    31.9    11.8    11.4     12.6      5.9      44.2       13.7    34.5      7.6        2,110        301      2,141
2001 ......................................................    6,801    42.0    32.3    14.0    11.8     13.1      6.8      51.1       12.3    29.9      6.8        2,974        404      3,007
2002 ......................................................    8,378    34.5    30.8    16.3    18.3     16.6      9.1      55.0       10.3    28.3      6.4        3,585        407      3,619
2003 ......................................................    8,774    31.7    29.8    16.4    22.1     19.2     10.1      55.1        9.3    28.2      7.3        3,533        402      3,571
 
2003:Feb ..................................................    8,581    32.6    30.3    15.1    22.0     18.7      9.5      55.9        9.1    28.1      6.9        3,429        409      4,172
      Mar .................................................    8,519    32.8    29.8    15.8    21.5     18.1      9.7      55.5        9.3    28.0      7.2        3,514        423      4,348
      Apr .................................................    8,799    32.1    30.0    16.0    21.9     19.4     10.1      55.0        9.3    28.5      7.2        3,622        443      3,708
      May .................................................    8,957    33.9    29.3    15.4    21.4     19.2     10.1      56.2        8.7    28.0      7.1        3,716        432      3,270
      June ................................................    9,245    31.8    30.2    16.2    21.8     19.6     11.7      54.3        9.7    28.9      7.0        3,726        427      3,674
      July ................................................    9,048    30.4    30.0    17.8    21.8     19.3     10.1      55.4        8.9    28.2      7.4        3,625        406      3,449
      Aug .................................................    8,929    30.6    29.5    17.5    22.4     19.2     10.0      55.4        8.9    28.4      7.3        3,630        402      3,379
      Sept ................................................    8,966    30.6    30.4    16.0    23.0     19.6     10.1      55.6        9.4    27.4      7.7        3,626        403      3,224
      Oct .................................................    8,797    31.1    29.4    16.6    22.9     19.4     10.3      55.2        8.9    28.5      7.4        3,515        382      2,807
      Nov .................................................    8,653    30.3    29.5    16.7    23.5     20.0     10.4      54.2       10.7    28.0      7.1        3,367        363      3,212
      Dec .................................................    8,398    31.0    28.9    17.8    22.3     19.6     10.4      54.6        9.3    28.0      8.2        3,259        356     r3,553
 
2004:Jan ..................................................    8,297    31.2    28.6    17.5    22.7     19.8     10.7      52.3        9.6    30.0      8.1        3,108        346      3,717
      Feb .................................................    8,170    30.3    29.6    17.2    22.9     20.3     10.3      52.4       10.0    29.4      8.2   ............    p 352  ..........
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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). Also 
includes Federal and State extended 
benefit programs. Does not include 
Railroad (RR) program, Federal 
supplemental compensation or 
Emergency Unemployment Compensation 
programs.
    \3\ See footnote 2, p. 11.
    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).