[Economic Indicators March, 2006]
[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 rose; the percentages for 5-14 weeks, for 15-26 weeks, 
and for 27 weeks and over fell. The mean duration of unemployment fell 
to 16.9 weeks and the median duration fell to 8.5 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
 
                                                                                                                                                              ----------------------------------
 
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      r 2,662        328    r 2,707
 
2005:Mar ..................................................    7,616    32.8    30.5    15.2    21.5     19.3      9.2      48.9       11.1    30.8      9.2      r 2,665      r 342      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      r 2,615      r 330      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      r 2,609      r 335      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      r 2,614      r 325      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      r 2,597      r 320      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      r 2,592        318      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      r 2,756      r 387      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      r 2,771      r 338      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      r 2,673      r 316      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      r 2,643      r 311      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      r 2,544      r 287      3,393
      Feb .................................................    7,193    36.3    29.0    15.7    19.0     17.6      8.9      46.7       11.8    32.1      9.4        2,494        303      3,044
      Mar .................................................    7,011    38.1    28.6    14.9    18.4     16.9      8.5      48.6       11.6    30.7      9.0   ............    p 309  ..........
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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).
    Seasonally adjusted insured and 
initial unemployment claims data 
revised beginning 2000 to reflect 
annual revisions.
    Source: Department of Labor 
(Bureau of Labor Statistics and 
Employment and Training 
Administration).