SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending April 14, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 386,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 388,000. The 4-week moving average was 374,750, an increase of 5,500 from the previous week's revised average of 369,250.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending April 7, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.6 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending April 7 was 3,297,000, an increase of 26,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,271,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,317,750, a decrease of 21,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,339,250.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 367,550 in the week ending April 14, a decrease of 22,916 from the previous week. There were 381,834 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent during the week ending April 7, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.7 percent. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,432,102, a decrease of 37,981 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.1 percent and the volume was 3,893,218.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending March 31 was 6,765,080, a decrease of 187,807 from the previous week.
Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending March 31.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,295 in the week ending April 7, an increase of 136 from the prior week. There were 2,564 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 287 from the preceding week.
There were 21,384 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 31, a decrease of 1,684 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 40,306, a decrease of 1,254 from the prior week.
States reported 2,775,134 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending March 31, a decrease of 19,419 from the prior week. There were 3,527,093 claimants in the comparable week in 2011. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending March 31 were in Alaska (5.6), Oregon (4.3), Puerto Rico (4.3), California (3.8), New Jersey (3.8), Pennsylvania (3.8), Rhode Island (3.8), Idaho (3.7), Connecticut (3.6), Montana (3.6), and Wisconsin (3.6).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending April 7 were in Pennsylvania (+7,483), California (+6,587), Washington (+5,985), New Jersey (+5,735), and Indiana (+4,984), while the largest decreases were in Tennessee (-670), Vermont (-78), and North Dakota (-49).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS WEEK ENDING Advance April 14 April 7 Change March 31 Prior Year1 Initial Claims (SA) 386,000 388,000 -2,000 362,000 414,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 367,550 390,466 -22,916 315,623 381,834 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 374,750 369,250 +5,500 363,000 407,750 WEEK ENDING Advance April 7 March 31 Change March 24 Prior Year1 Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,297,000 3,271,000 +26,000 3,349,000 3,736,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,432,102 3,470,083 -37,981 3,636,706 3,893,218 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,317,750 3,339,250 -21,500 3,370,000 3,753,250 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.6% 2.6% 0.0 2.6% 3.0% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.7% 2.7% 0.0 2.9% 3.1% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING April 7 March 31 Change Prior Year1 Federal Employees 1,295 1,159 +136 2,147 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,564 2,277 +287 2,508 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING March 31 March 24 Change Prior Year1 Regular State 3,460,932 3,627,987 -167,055 3,930,763 Federal Employees (UCFE) 21,384 23,068 -1,684 34,060 Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 40,306 41,560 -1,254 37,705 EUC 20083 2,775,134 2,794,553 -19,419 3,527,093 Extended Benefits4 426,673 426,907 -234 713,881 State Additional Benefits 5 4,785 4,780 +5 6,656 STC / Workshare 6 35,866 34,032 +1,834 50,214 TOTAL 6,765,080 6,952,887 -187,807 8,300,372 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 127,048,587 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 paid, 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 04/07/2012 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment none STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment PA +7,483 Layoffs in the transportation, entertainment, lodging, food service, professional, scientific and technology services, and construction industries.
CA +6,587 Layoffs in the service industry.
WA +5,985 Layoffs in the agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, transportation and warehousing, health and social assistance, and accommodations and food service industries.
NJ +5,735 Layoffs in the accommodation and food services, transportation and warehousing, public administration and education services, trade, and manufacturing industries.
IN +4,984 Layoffs in the plastic and rubber manufacturing industries.
NY +4,158 Layoffs in the construction, finance and insurance, and manufacturing industries.
TX +3,632 Layoffs in the manufacturing, support service, and transportation industries.
MD +3,121 No comment.
AZ +3,034 No comment.
OH +2,662 No comment.
IL +2,323 Layoffs in the construction, administrative support service, and trade industries WI +2,159 Layoffs in the accommodation and food service, transportation and warehousing, and waste service industries.
MI +2,019 Layoffs in the administrative service, waste, and remediation service industries.
NV +1,908 No comment.
AK +1,708 No comment.
MO +1,467 Layoffs in the administrative services, manufacturing, health care, and retail industries.
OR +1,362 No comment.
FL +1,299 Layoffs in the agriculture, construction, manufacturing, trade, retail, and service industries.
CO +1,127 No comment.
MA +1,038 No comment.
GA +1,007 No comment.
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/
