SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending May 2, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 601,000, a decrease of 34,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 635,000. The 4-week moving average was 623,500, a decrease of 14,750 from the previous week's revised average of 638,250.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.8 percent for the week ending April 25, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.7 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending April 25 was 6,351,000, an increase of 56,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 6,295,000. The 4-week moving average was 6,207,250, an increase of 125,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 6,082,000.
The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 4.953 million.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 534,047 in the week ending May 2, a decrease of 46,640 from the previous week. There were 335,547 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.7 percent during the week ending April 25, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 6,255,432, a decrease of 46,247 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.2 percent and the volume was 2,956,644.
Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin during the week ending April 18.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,114 in the week ending April 25, an increase of 62 from the prior week. There were 1,681 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 71 from the preceding week.
There were 16,605 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 18, a decrease of 984 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 29,302, an increase of 708 from the prior week.
States reported 2,279,478 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending April 18, a decrease of 6,708 from the prior week. EUC weekly claims include both first and second tier activity.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending April 18 were in Oregon (7.6 percent), Michigan (7.2), Wisconsin (6.6), Pennsylvania (6.5), Idaho (6.4), Nevada (6.4), Rhode Island (6.1), New Jersey (5.8), Vermont (5.8), and Alaska (5.7).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending April 25 were in Michigan (+9,998), Massachusetts (+4,277), Kentucky (+3,681), North Carolina (+2,549), and New York (+2,219), while the largest decreases were in California (-10,833), Georgia (-4,174), South Carolina (-3,676), Wisconsin (-3,341), and New Jersey (-2,810).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING May 2 April 25 Change April 18 Year Initial Claims (SA) 601,000 635,000 -34,000 645,000 372,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 534,047 580,687 -46,640 596,564 335,547 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 623,500 638,250 -14,750 648,000 368,000 Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING April 25 April 18 Change April 11 Year Ins. Unemployment (SA) 6,351,000 6,295,000 +56,000 6,138,000 3,011,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 6,255,432 6,301,679 -46,247 6,407,591 2,956,644 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 6,207,250 6,082,000 +125,250 5,944,500 2,985,000 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 4.8% 4.7% +0.1 4.6% 2.3% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 4.7% 4.7% 0.0 4.8% 2.2% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING April 25 April 18 Change Year Federal Employees 1,114 1,052 +62 865 Newly Discharged Veterans 1,681 1,752 -71 1,396 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING April 18 April 11 Change Year Federal Employees 16,605 17,589 -984 11,750 Newly Discharged Veterans 29,302 28,594 +708 21,107 Railroad Retirement Board 9,000 9,000 0 2,000 Extended Benefits 40,076 24,175 +15,901 0 EUC 20083 2,279,478 2,286,186 -6,708 0 FOOTNOTES SA - Seasonally Adjusted Data NSA - Not Seasonally Adjusted Data 1 - Prior year is comparable to most recent data. 2 - Most recent week used covered employment of 133,683,433 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include both first and second tier activity.
UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 04/25/2009 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment CA -10,833 Fewer layoffs in the construction and service industries.
GA -4,174 Fewer layoffs in the printing/publishing and manufacturing industries.
SC -3,676 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
WI -3,341 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
NJ -2,810 Fewer layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, service, and manufacturing industries.
IA -1,716 No comment.
PA -1,674 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, transportation, and industrial machinery industries.
IN -1,595 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
KS -1,341 No comment.
TN -1,003 Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment MD +1,195 No comment.
NY +2,219 Layoffs in the service and transportation industries.
NC +2,549 Layoffs in the industrial machinery, primary metals, fabricated metals, lumber/wood, food, and trade industries.
KY +3,681 Layoffs in the automobile, warehousing, and manufacturing industries.
MA +4,277 Increase is seasonal, school closings related.
MI +9,998 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
State Detail Prior Week UI Claims Series 1967 to current This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-693-4676. TDD Message Phone: 1-800-326-2577. News releases from the U.S. Department of Labor are accessible on the Internet at: http://www.dol.gov/ and http://www.ows.doleta.gov/
