SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending May 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 367,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 368,000. The 4-week moving average was 379,000, a decrease of 5,250 from the previous week's revised average of 384,250.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent for the week ending April 28, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.6 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending April 28 was 3,229,000, a decrease of 61,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,290,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,290,000, a decrease of 10,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,300,500.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 338,418 in the week ending May 5, an increase of 4,942 from the previous week. There were 397,737 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent during the week ending April 28, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.6. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,193,787, a decrease of 99,210 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.0 percent and the volume was 3,723,271.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending April 21 was 6,423,383, a decrease of 174,529 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 21.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,204 in the week ending April 28, a decrease of 5 from the prior week. There were 2,226 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 199 from the preceding week.
There were 19,509 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 21, a decrease of 472 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 39,682, a decrease of 957 from the prior week.
States reported 2,688,157 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending April 21, a decrease of 36,275 from the prior week. There were 3,415,581 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 21 were in Alaska (5.2), Oregon (3.8), Puerto Rico (3.8), California (3.7), Pennsylvania (3.7), Connecticut (3.6), New Jersey (3.6), Rhode Island (3.6), Massachusetts (3.3), and Wisconsin (3.3).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending April 28 were in Indiana (+2,294), Florida (+1,767), Illinois (+1,512), Pennsylvania (+1,121), and New Hampshire (+836), while the largest decreases were in New York (-21,258), Califorina (-6,790), Massachusetts (-2,530), Georgia (-2,110), and Connecticut (-1,708).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS WEEK ENDING Advance May 5 April 28 Change April 21 Prior Year1 Initial Claims (SA) 367,000 368,000 -1,000 392,000 430,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 338,418 333,476 +4,942 370,632 397,737 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 379,000 384,250 -5,250 382,750 433,500 WEEK ENDING Advance April 28 April 21 Change April 14 Prior Year1 Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,229,000 3,290,000 -61,000 3,329,000 3,795,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,193,787 3,292,997 -99,210 3,425,328 3,723,271 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,290,000 3,300,500 -10,500 3,315,250 3,749,750 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.5% 2.6% -0.1 2.6% 3.0% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.5% 2.6% -0.1 2.7% 3.0% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING April 28 April 21 Change Prior Year1 Federal Employees 1,204 1,209 -5 1,617 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,226 2,425 -199 2,280 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING April 21 April 14 Change Prior Year1 Regular State 3,283,672 3,416,422 -132,750 3,758,293 Federal Employees (UCFE) 19,509 19,981 -472 29,466 Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 39,682 40,639 -957 36,756 EUC 20083 2,688,157 2,724,432 -36,275 3,415,581 Extended Benefits4 350,579 354,883 -4,304 689,009 State Additional Benefits 5 5,745 5,278 +467 26,445 STC / Workshare 6 36,039 36,277 -238 48,026 TOTAL 6,423,383 6,597,912 -174,529 8,003,576 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 04/28/2012 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment NY -21,258 Fewer layoffs in the transportation, educational service, and food service industries.
CA -6,790 Fewer layoffs in the service industries.
MA -2,530 No comment.
GA -2,110 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing, transportation and warehousing, healthcare and social assistance, and trade.
CT -1,708 Fewer layoffs in the educational service industries.
NC -1,570 Fewer layoffs in the food and kindred products, nonclassifiable establishments, textile, electronic, and leather industries.
NJ -1,201 Fewer layoffs in the transportation and warehousing, accommodation and food service, information, manufacturing, and healthcare and social assistance industries.
AZ -1,169 No comment.
MI -1,139 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment IN +2,294 Layoffs in the transportation and manufacturing industries.
FL +1,767 Layoffs in the agriculture, construction, trade, retail, serivce, and manufacturing industry.
IL +1,512 Layoffs in the manufacturing, construction, and administrative support industries.
PA +1,121 Layoffs in the construction, entertainment, lodging, food service, retail, professional, scientific, and technology 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/
