UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending May 23, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 623,000, a decrease of 13,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 636,000. The 4-week moving average was 626,750, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week's revised average of 629,750.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 5.1 percent for the week ending May 16, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 5.0 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 16 was 6,788,000, an increase of 110,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 6,678,000. The 4-week moving average was 6,608,250, an increase of 123,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 6,484,500.
The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.131 million.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 536,733 in the week ending May 23, a decrease of 4,192 from the previous week. There were 326,518 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.6 percent during the week ending May 16, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 6,191,044, a decrease of 12,619 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.1 percent and the volume was 2,807,628.
Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin during the week ending May 9.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,417 in the week ending May 16, an increase of 243 from the prior week. There were 1,777 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 26 from the preceding week.
There were 15,811 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending May 9, a decrease of 57 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 28,254, a decrease of 288 from the prior week.
States reported 2,185,863 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending May 9, a decrease of 82,504 from the prior week. EUC weekly claims include both first and second tier activity.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending May 9 were in Oregon (7.3 percent), Michigan (7.1), Nevada (6.4), Pennsylvania (6.4), Puerto Rico (6.2), Wisconsin (6.0), Idaho (5.7), California (5.5), North Carolina (5.5), and Illinois (5.4).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 16 were in California (+5,447), North Carolina (+2,693), Georgia (+1,595), Washington (+764), and Florida (+528), while the largest decreases were in Michigan (-9,758), Kentucky (-4,323), Illinois (-3,425), Indiana (-3,081), and Ohio (-2,522).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING May 23 May 16 Change May 9 Year Initial Claims (SA) 623,000 636,000 -13,000 643,000 378,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 536,733 540,925 -4,192 570,412 326,518 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 626,750 629,750 -3,000 632,000 374,750 Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING May 16 May 9 Change May 2 Year Ins. Unemployment (SA) 6,788,000 6,678,000 +110,000 6,587,000 3,102,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 6,191,044 6,203,663 -12,619 6,191,544 2,807,628 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 6,608,250 6,484,500 +123,750 6,349,500 3,059,500 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 5.1% 5.0% +0.1 4.9% 2.3% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 4.6% 4.6% 0.0 4.6% 2.1% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING May 16 May 9 Change Year Federal Employees 1,417 1,174 +243 993 Newly Discharged Veterans 1,777 1,751 +26 1,377 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING May 9 May 2 Change Year Federal Employees 15,811 15,868 -57 11,506 Newly Discharged Veterans 28,254 28,542 -288 20,259 Railroad Retirement Board 10,000 10,000 0 2,000 Extended Benefits 157,744 88,882 +68,862 0 EUC 20083 2,185,863 2,268,367 -82,504 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 05/16/2009 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment MI -9,758 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
KY -4,323 Fewer layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
IL -3,425 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
IN -3,081 Fewer layoffs in the automobile and service industries.
OH -2,522 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
PA -2,053 Fewer layoffs in the primary metals, food, trade, and service industries.
MD -1,347 No comment.
IA -1,295 Fewer layoffs in the construction industry.
KS -1,121 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
OR -1,081 No comment.
LA -1,073 No comment.
NV -1,023 No comment.
MO -1,006 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment GA +1,595 Layoffs in the textile and service industries.
NC +2,693 Layoffs in the transportation, petroleum, construction, service, electrical equipment, and electronic equipment industries.
CA +5,447 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service 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/
