[Economic Indicators February, 2006]
[Page Number 13]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



 
SELECTED MEASURES OF UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROGRAMS

In January, the percentages of the unemployed who had been out of work 
for less than 5 weeks and for 27 weeks and over fell; the percentages 
for 5-14 weeks and for 15-26 weeks rose. The mean duration of 
unemployment fell to 16.8 weeks and the median duration fell to 8.4 
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
 
                                                                                                                                                              ----------------------------------
 
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        3,531        404      3,569
2004.......................................................    8,149    33.1    29.2    15.9    21.8     19.6      9.8      51.5       10.5    29.5      8.4        2,950        345      2,995
2005.......................................................    7,591    35.1    30.4    14.9    19.6     18.4      8.9      48.3       11.5    31.4      8.8        2,663        328      2,708
 
2005:Jan ..................................................    7,723    33.4    30.2    15.3    21.0     19.2      9.3      51.4       10.5    30.1      8.0        2,723        329      3,654
      Feb .................................................    7,986    34.6    29.3    15.6    20.5     19.1      9.2      48.7       11.9    30.1      9.3        2,674        309      3,258
      Mar .................................................    7,616    32.8    30.5    15.2    21.5     19.3      9.2      48.9       11.1    30.8      9.2        2,652        337      2,954
      Apr .................................................    7,644    35.0    29.8    14.3    20.9     19.6      8.9      48.0       11.7    30.7      9.6        2,593        323      2,659
      May .................................................    7,629    35.4    29.8    14.7    20.1     18.6      9.1      47.7       12.4    30.8      9.1        2,590        334    r 2,589
      June ................................................    7,493    36.0    31.7    14.3    18.1     17.2      9.1      49.6       11.3    30.3      8.8        2,600        323    r 2,408
      July ................................................    7,494    34.6    32.5    14.2    18.7     17.7      8.9      48.4       11.0    32.2      8.4        2,582        317    r 2,621
      Aug .................................................    7,367    34.0    30.3    16.4    19.3     18.9      9.4      46.9       11.3    33.2      8.6        2,581        318    r 2,487
      Sept ................................................    7,648    36.3    29.7    14.8    19.3     18.2      8.5      48.5       11.5    31.8      8.2        2,774        398    r 2,223
      Oct .................................................    7,418    36.4    30.4    14.0    19.2     18.0      8.6      47.4       12.0    31.7      8.8        2,825        350    r 2,632
      Nov .................................................    7,572    36.9    30.1    14.7    18.3     17.6      8.5      45.6       11.9    33.5      9.0        2,703        323    r 2,472
      Dec .................................................    7,375    37.2    30.2    14.4    18.2     17.3      8.5      47.1       11.4    32.8      8.7        2,672        318    r 2,607
 
2006:Jan...................................................    7,040    36.2    32.1    15.4    16.3     16.8      8.4      46.9       11.8    32.5      8.7        2,535        284      3,393
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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.
    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).