SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending April 28, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 365,000, a decrease of 27,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 392,000. The 4-week moving average was 383,500, an increase of 750 from the previous week's revised average of 382,750.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending April 21, unchanged from the prior week.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending April 21 was 3,276,000, a decrease of 53,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,329,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,297,000, a decrease of 18,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,315,250.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 330,475 in the week ending April 28, a decrease of 40,158 from the previous week. There were 415,974 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent during the week ending April 21, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.7. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,278,885, a decrease of 146,442 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.0 percent and the volume was 3,769,810.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending April 14 was 6,597,492, a decrease of 85,523 from the previous week.
Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Washington, and West Virginia during the week ending April 14.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,209 in the week ending April 21, an increase of 20 from the prior week. There were 2,425 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 76 from the preceding week.
There were 19,980 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 14, a decrease of 1,366 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 40,639, an increase of 67 from the prior week.
States reported 2,724,432 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending April 14, a decrease of 4,772 from the prior week. There were 3,447,542 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 April 14 were in Alaska (5.6), Puerto Rico (4.2), New Jersey (3.9), Oregon (3.9), Pennsylvania (3.9), California (3.8), Connecticut (3.5),Wisconsin (3.5), Illinois ( 3.4), and Rhode Island (3.4).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending April 21 were in New York (+15,467), Massachusetts (+4,336), Connecticut (+1,776), Puerto Rico (+1,264), and Rhode Island (+1,163), while the largest decreases were in New Jersey (-5,748), Pennsylvania (-3,080), Wisconsin (-1,841), Ohio (-1,798) and Alabama (-1,444).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS WEEK ENDING Advance April 28 April 21 Change April 14 Prior Year1 Initial Claims (SA) 365,000 392,000 -27,000 389,000 464,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 330,475 370,633 -40,158 370,482 415,974 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 383,500 382,750 +750 375,500 430,000 WEEK ENDING Advance April 21 April 14 Change April 7 Prior Year1 Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,276,000 3,329,000 -53,000 3,312,000 3,766,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,278,885 3,425,327 -146,442 3,447,774 3,769,810 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,297,000 3,315,250 -18,250 3,321,500 3,736,500 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.6% 2.6% 0.0 2.6% 3.0% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.6% 2.7% -0.1 2.7% 3.0% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING April 21 April 14 Change Prior Year1 Federal Employees 1,209 1,189 +20 1,413 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,425 2,349 +76 2,076 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING April 14 April 7 Change Prior Year1 Regular State 3,416,421 3,438,362 -21,941 3,771,511 Federal Employees (UCFE) 19,980 21,346 -1,366 29,777 Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 40,639 40,572 +67 37,513 EUC 20083 2,724,432 2,729,204 -4,772 3,447,542 Extended Benefits4 354,883 412,411 -57,528 674,171 State Additional Benefits 5 4,860 4,483 +377 6,552 STC / Workshare 6 36,277 36,637 -360 47,853 TOTAL 6,597,492 6,683,015 -85,523 8,014,919 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 04/21/2012 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment NJ -5,748 Fewer layoffs in the construction, administrative, healthcare and social assistance, transportation and warehousing, accommodations and food service industries.
PA -3,080 Fewer layoffs in the transportation, construction, entertainment, lodging, food service, healthcare and social service industries.
WI -1,841 No comment.
OH -1,798 No comment.
AL -1,444 Fewer layoffs in the plastic and rubber manufacturing, textile, and administrative support industries.
GA -1,440 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing and trade industries.
FL -1,418 Fewer layoffs in the agriculture, construction, retail, and service industries.
IN -1,295 No comment.
CA -1,057 No comment.
NC -1,038 Fewer layoffs in non-classifiable establishments, textile, construction, business, amusements and recreation service, and furniture and fixture production industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment NY +15,467 Layoffs in the transportation, public administration, and educational industries.
MA +4,336 Layoffs in the construction, administrative support, and manufacturing industry.
CT +1,776 Layoffs due to schools vacations in prior week.
PR +1,264 No comment.
RI +1,163 Layoffs due to schools vacations in prior week, and in business 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/
