UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending May 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 637,000, an increase of 32,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 605,000. The 4-week moving average was 630,500, an increase of 6,000 from the previous week's revised average of 624,500.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.9 percent for the week ending May 2, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.8 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 2 was 6,560,000, an increase of 202,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 6,358,000. The 4-week moving average was 6,337,250, an increase of 128,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 6,208,500.
The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.011 million.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 565,395 in the week ending May 9, an increase of 27,856 from the previous week. There were 325,480 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.6 percent during the week ending May 2, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 6,166,785, a decrease of 95,837 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.1 percent and the volume was 2,845,952.
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 25.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,218 in the week ending May 2, an increase of 104 from the prior week. There were 1,684 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 3 from the preceding week.
There were 16,542 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 25, a decrease of 63 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 28,528, a decrease of 768 from the prior week.
States reported 2,156,515 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending April 25, a decrease of 122,963 from the prior week. EUC weekly claims include both first and second tier activity.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending April 25 were in Michigan (7.8 percent), Oregon (7.5), Pennsylvania (6.5), Wisconsin (6.4), Nevada (6.3), Idaho (6.1), Puerto Rico (5.9), Vermont (5.8), Alaska (5.7), and Rhode Island (5.7).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 2 were in Illinois (+2,052), Kansas (+2,025), Puerto Rico (+1,781), Indiana (+1,051), and Ohio (+1,013), while the largest decreases were in New York (-13,386), Michigan (-10,952), North Carolina (-8,988), Massachusetts (-3,705), and Connecticut (-2,802).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING May 9 May 2 Change April 25 Year Initial Claims (SA) 637,000 605,000 +32,000 635,000 375,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 565,395 537,539 +27,856 580,377 325,480 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 630,500 624,500 +6,000 638,250 369,500 Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING May 2 April 25 Change April 18 Year Ins. Unemployment (SA) 6,560,000 6,358,000 +202,000 6,293,000 3,063,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 6,166,785 6,262,622 -95,837 6,299,278 2,845,952 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 6,337,250 6,208,500 +128,750 6,081,500 3,006,750 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 4.9% 4.8% +0.1 4.7% 2.3% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 4.6% 4.7% -0.1 4.7% 2.1% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING May 2 April 25 Change Year Federal Employees 1,218 1,114 +104 926 Newly Discharged Veterans 1,684 1,681 +3 1,386 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING April 25 April 18 Change Year Federal Employees 16,542 16,605 -63 12,293 Newly Discharged Veterans 28,528 29,296 -768 21,021 Railroad Retirement Board 10,000 10,000 0 2,000 Extended Benefits 84,655 40,076 +44,579 0 EUC 20083 2,156,515 2,279,478 -122,963 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 05/02/2009 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment NY -13,386 Fewer layoffs in the transportation and service industries.
MI -10,952 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
NC -8,988 Fewer layoffs in the primary metals, fabricated metals, lumber/wood, industrial machinery, textile, transportation equipment, construction, and trade industries.
MA -3,705 No comment.
CT -2,802 Fewer layoffs in the transportation and service industries.
GA -2,483 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
VA -1,729 Fewer layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
AL -1,664 Fewer layoffs in the textile and wood products industries.
CA -1,499 No comment.
KY -1,270 No comment.
SC -1,270 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment OH +1,013 No comment.
IN +1,051 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
PR +1,781 No comment.
KS +2,025 Layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
IL +2,052 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.
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/
