UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending May 30, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 621,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 625,000. The 4-week moving average was 631,250, an increase of 4,000 from the previous week's revised average of 627,250.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 5.0 percent for the week ending May 23, unchanged from the prior week's revised rate of 5.0 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 23 was 6,735,000, a decrease of 15,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 6,750,000. The 4-week moving average was 6,687,500, an increase of 88,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 6,598,750.
The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.184 million.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 496,822 in the week ending May 30, a decrease of 41,577 from the previous week. There were 300,989 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.5 percent during the week ending May 23, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 6,014,501, a decrease of 141,671 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.1 percent and the volume was 2,757,822.
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, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin during the week ending May 16.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,642 in the week ending May 23, an increase of 225 from the prior week. There were 1,759 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 18 from the preceding week.
There were 15,301 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending May 16, a decrease of 510 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 28,435, an increase of 181 from the prior week.
States reported 2,347,218 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending May 16, an increase of 161,355 from the prior week. EUC weekly claims include both first and second tier activity.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending May 16 were in Michigan (7.6 percent), Oregon (7.1), Puerto Rico (6.7), Nevada (6.4), Pennsylvania (6.2), Wisconsin (5.9), California (5.5), Arkansas (5.4), Idaho (5.4), and North Carolina (5.4).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 23 were in Illinois (+3,881), Iowa (+2,312), South Carolina (+1,792), Texas (+1,548), and Wisconsin (+1,464), while the largest decreases were in North Carolina (-3,952), Michigan (-2,812), Ohio (-2,158), Tennessee (-2,053), and Connecticut (-1,320).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING May 30 May 23 Change May 16 Year Initial Claims (SA) 621,000 625,000 -4,000 636,000 370,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 496,822 538,399 -41,577 540,925 300,989 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 631,250 627,250 +4,000 629,750 374,250 Advance Prior1 WEEK ENDING May 23 May 16 Change May 9 Year Ins. Unemployment (SA) 6,735,000 6,750,000 -15,000 6,678,000 3,095,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 6,014,501 6,156,172 -141,671 6,204,009 2,757,822 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 6,687,500 6,598,750 +88,750 6,484,500 3,080,500 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 5.0% 5.0% 0.0 5.0% 2.3% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 4.5% 4.6% -0.1 4.6% 2.1% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING May 23 May 16 Change Year Federal Employees 1,642 1,417 +225 937 Newly Discharged Veterans 1,759 1,777 -18 1,348 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) Prior1 WEEK ENDING May 16 May 9 Change Year Federal Employees 15,301 15,811 -510 10,583 Newly Discharged Veterans 28,435 28,254 +181 19,915 Railroad Retirement Board 10,000 10,000 0 2,000 Extended Benefits 146,689 157,747 -11,058 0 EUC 20083 2,347,218 2,185,863 +161,355 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 05/23/2009 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment NC -3,952 Fewer layoffs in the construction, furniture, and transportation industries.
MI -2,812 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
OH -2,158 Fewer layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
TN -2,053 Fewer layoffs in the transportation equipment, service, and manufacturing industries.
CT -1,320 No comment.
VA -1,165 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
WA -1,163 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment WI +1,464 Layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
TX +1,548 Layoffs in the construction, service, finance, and manufacturing industries.
SC +1,792 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
IA +2,312 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
IL +3,881 Layoffs in the trade, service, 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/
