[Economic Indicators March, 2008] [Page Number 13] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov] SELECTED MEASURES OF UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROGRAMS In March, the percentages of the unemployed who had been out of work for less than 5 weeks and 5-14 weeks rose; the percentages for 15-26 weeks and for 27 weeks and over fell. The mean duration of unemployment fell to 16.2 weeks and the median duration fell to 8.1 weeks. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ [Monthly data seasonally adjusted, except as noted] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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\ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Weekly average, thousands ---------------------------------- 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 2,661 328 2,706 2006....................................................... 7,001 37.3 30.3 14.7 17.6 16.8 8.3 47.4 11.8 32.0 8.8 2,476 313 2,518 2007....................................................... 7,078 35.9 31.5 15.0 17.6 16.8 8.5 49.7 11.2 30.3 8.9 2,571 324 2,609 2007:Mar .................................................. 6,738 35.0 32.3 14.6 18.1 17.2 8.6 48.1 11.2 31.8 8.9 r 2,500 r 313 2,738 Apr ................................................. 6,829 35.7 31.4 15.6 17.4 17.0 8.6 48.5 11.0 31.7 8.8 r 2,524 r320 2,830 May ................................................. 6,863 35.8 31.7 16.0 16.5 16.6 8.3 49.3 11.2 31.4 8.1 r 2,504 r 307 2,238 June ................................................ 6,997 36.1 30.8 16.4 16.7 16.8 8.3 49.0 11.6 30.4 9.0 r 2,529 r318 2,279 July ................................................ 7,137 35.1 31.2 15.3 18.4 17.3 8.9 50.8 11.5 29.2 8.4 r 2,550 r 309 2,703 Aug ................................................. 7,133 36.3 30.6 15.6 17.4 16.9 8.6 51.1 11.2 29.2 8.5 r 2,579 r 324 2,269 Sept ................................................ 7,246 34.9 32.1 15.3 17.6 16.6 8.9 49.6 11.5 29.5 9.4 r 2,553 r 319 2,344 Oct ................................................. 7,291 34.2 33.5 14.4 17.9 17.0 8.7 50.9 10.8 28.7 9.7 r 2,573 r 329 2,256 Nov ................................................. 7,181 36.6 30.0 14.1 19.3 17.2 8.7 50.0 10.8 29.9 9.3 r 2,620 r 339 2,271 Dec ................................................. 7,655 36.5 30.5 15.5 17.5 16.6 8.4 50.1 10.4 30.4 9.1 r 2,696 r 344 3,066 2008:Jan .................................................. 7,576 35.0 31.8 14.9 18.3 17.5 8.8 50.7 11.1 29.4 8.9 r 2,718 r 337 3,270 Feb.................................................. 7,381 35.6 32.3 14.6 17.5 16.8 8.4 52.2 10.4 28.6 8.8 r 2,776 r 346 3,251 Mar.................................................. 7,815 36.0 32.8 14.5 16.7 16.2 8.1 53.7 10.1 27.4 8.8 ............ p 375 .......... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ \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 reflect annual revisions. Source: Department of Labor (Bureau of Labor Statistics and Employment and Training Administration).