SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending May 14, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 409,000, a decrease of 29,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 438,000. The 4-week moving average was 439,000, an increase of 1,250 from the previous week's revised average of 437,750.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent for the week ending May 7, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.0 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 7 was 3,711,000, a decrease of 81,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,792,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,728,250, an increase of 750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,727,500.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 357,872 in the week ending May 14, a decrease of 39,865 from the previous week. There were 414,572 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent during the week ending May 7, a decrease of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,562,660, a decrease of 160,611 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.5 percent and the volume was 4,471,786.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending April 30 was 7,936,548, a decrease of 47,124 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 30.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,449 in the week ending May 7, a decrease of 168 from the prior week. There were 2,470 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 190 from the preceding week.
There were 26,495 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 30, a decrease of 2,971 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 37,186, an increase of 430 from the prior week.
States reported 3,468,979 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending April 30, an increase of 53,398 from the prior week. There were 5,095,265 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 30 were in Alaska (5.8 percent), Puerto Rico (5.6), Oregon (4.3), Pennsylvania (4.1), California (4.0), New Jersey (3.9), Wisconsin (3.9), Nevada (3.7), Connecticut (3.7), Idaho (3.6), and Rhode Island (3.6).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 7 were in Alabama (+5,767), California (+4,015), Puerto Rico (+3,124), Michigan (+3,122), and Mississippi (+1,666), while the largest decreases were in New York (-23,445), Wisconsin (-3,556), Ohio (-3,014), Connecticut (-2,693), and New Jersey (-1,599).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS WEEK ENDING Advance May 14 May 7 Change April 30 Prior Year1 Initial Claims (SA) 409,000 438,000 -29,000 478,000 477,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 357,872 397,737 -39,865 415,974 414,572 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 439,000 437,750 +1,250 432,250 462,250 WEEK ENDING Advance May 7 April 30 Change April 23 Prior Year1 Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,711,000 3,792,000 -81,000 3,751,000 4,648,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,562,660 3,732,271 -160,611 3,769,810 4,471,786 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,728,250 3,727,500 +750 3,705,250 4,659,250 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 3.0% 3.0% 0.0 3.0% 3.6% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.8% 3.0% -0.2 3.0% 3.5% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING May 7 April 30 Change Prior Year1 Federal Employees 1,449 1,617 -168 1,339 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,470 2,280 190 2,532 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING April 30 April 23 Change Prior Year1 Regular State 3,711,863 3,758,293 -46,430 4,530,269 Federal Employees (UCFE) 26,495 29,466 -2,971 17,388 Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 37,186 36,756 430 35,046 EUC 20083 3,468,979 3,415,581 53,398 5,095,265 Extended Benefits4 640,042 689,009 -48,967 291,280 State Additional Benefits 5 6,814 6,541 273 9,853 STC / Workshare 6 45,169 48,026 -2,857 77,811 TOTAL 7,936,548 7,983,672 -47,124 10,056,912 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 05/07/2011 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment NY -23,445 Fewer layoffs in the service and construction industries.
WI -3,556 No comment.
OH -3,014 No comment.
CT -2,693 No comment.
NJ -1,599 Fewer layoffs in the trade, construction, service, transportation, and warehousing industries.
IN -1,199 No comment.
IL -1,189 Fewer layoffs in the construction, manufacturing, and service industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment NC +1,192 Layoffs in the construction, service, leather goods, and rubber/ plastics industries.
WA +1,198 Layoffs in the manufacturing and construction industries.
MS +1,666 Layoffs in the service industry.
MI +3,122 Layoffs in the automobile and construction industries.
PR +3,124 No comment.
CA +4,015 Layoffs in the service industry.
AL +5,767 The figure reflected impact of storms and tornadoes of the previous week. Also, layoffs in the textile, apparel, 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/
