SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATAIn the week ending May 7, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 434,000, a decrease of 44,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 478,000. The 4-week moving average was 436,750, an increase of 4,500 from the previous week's revised average of 432,250.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent for the week ending April 30, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.0 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending April 30 was 3,756,000, an increase of 5,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,751,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,718,500, an increase of 13,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,705,250.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 394,583 in the week ending May 7, a decrease of 21,391 from the previous week. There were 414,327 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent during the week ending April 30, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,687,945, a decrease of 81,865 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.5 percent and the volume was 4,549,602.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending April 23 was 7,983,672, a decrease of 31,247 from the previous week.
Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia, during the week ending April 23.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,617 in the week ending April 30, an increase of 204 from the prior week. There were 2,280 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 204 from the preceding week.
There were 29,466 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 23, a decrease of 311 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 36,756, a decrease of 757 from the prior week.
States reported 3,415,581 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending April 23, a decrease of 31,961 from the prior week. There were 5,190,820 claimants in the comparable week in 2010. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending April 23 were in Alaska (5.7 percent), Oregon (4.3), Pennsylvania (4.2), Connecticut (4.1), Rhode Island (4.1), Wisconsin (4.1), California (4.0), New Jersey (4.0), Idaho (3.8), and Nevada (3.8).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending April 30 were in New York (+24,431), Michigan (+3,948), Wisconsin (+3,746), North Carolina (+2,749), and Ohio (+2,319), while the largest decreases were in New Jersey (-4,004), California (-3,145), Massachusetts (-2,966), Puerto Rico(-2,713), and Florida (-2,156).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS WEEK ENDING Advance May 7 April 30 Change April 23 Prior Year1 Initial Claims (SA) 434,000 478,000 -44,000 431,000 455,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 394,583 415,974 -21,391 387,867 414,327 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 436,750 432,250 +4,500 409,000 460,250 WEEK ENDING Advance April 30 April 23 Change April 16 Prior Year1 Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,756,000 3,751,000 +5,000 3,659,000 4,666,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,687,945 3,769,810 -81,865 3,783,787 4,549,602 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,718,500 3,705,250 +13,250 3,702,000 4,669,000 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 3.0% 3.0% 0.0 2.9% 3.6% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.9% 3.0% -0.1 3.0% 3.5% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING April 30 April 23 Change Prior Year1 Federal Employees 1,617 1,413 +204 1,322 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,280 2,076 +204 2,357 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING April 23 April 16 Change Prior Year1 Regular State 3,758,293 3,771,511 -13,218 4,652,491 Federal Employees (UCFE) 29,466 29,777 -311 19,226 Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 36,756 37,513 -757 36,828 EUC 20083 3,415,581 3,447,542 -31,961 5,190,820 Extended Benefits4 689,009 674,171 +14,838 268,186 State Additional Benefits 5 6,541 6,552 -11 9,892 STC / Workshare 6 48,026 47,853 +173 74,233 TOTAL 7,983,672 8,014,919 -31,247 10,251,676 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 125,572,661 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity. Tier-specific EUC data can be found here: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/persons.xls4 - Information on the EB program can be found here: http://www.ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/extenben.asp 5 - Some states maintain additional benefit programs for those claimants who exhaust regular, extended and emergency benefits. Information on states that participate and the extent of benefits can be found starting on page 4-5 of this link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf 6 - Information on STC/Worksharing can be found starting on page 4-9 of the following link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 04/30/2011 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment NJ -4,004 Fewer layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
CA -3,145 No comment.
MA -2,966 Fewer layoffs in the transportation and service industries.
PR -2,713 No comment.
FL -2,156 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
MD -1,877 No comment.
RI -1,605 Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
PA -1,330 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and transportation industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment IN +1,237 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
KY +1,244 No comment.
IL +1,337 Layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
CT +1,436 Layoffs in the trade and service industries.
TN +1,932 Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
OR +2,176 No comment.
OH +2,319 Layoffs in the automobile and construction industries.
NC +2,749 Layoffs in the construction, service, textile, electrical equipment, and electronics equipment industries.
WI +3,746 No comment.
MI +3,948 No comment.
NY +24,431 Layoffs in the transportation 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/