SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending May 26, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 383,000, an increase of 10,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 373,000. The 4-week moving average was 374,500, an increase of 3,750 from the previous week's revised average of 370,750.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending May 19, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 19 was 3,242,000, a decrease of 36,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,278,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,263,750, a decrease of 12,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,275,750.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 341,167 in the week ending May 26, an increase of 10,736 from the previous week. There were 381,497 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent during the week ending May 19, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 2.5 pecent. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,043,782, a decrease of 80,602 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.8 percent and the volume was 3,510,507.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending May 12 was 6,137,862, a decrease of 30,753 from the previous week.
Extended benefits were available in Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and West Virginia during the week ending May 12.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,199 in the week ending May 19, a decrease of 5 from the prior week. There were 2,532 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 11 from the preceding week.
There were 16,052 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending May 12, a decrease of 1,471 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 39,153, an increase of 521 from the prior week.
States reported 2,618,366 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending May 12, a decrease of 12,141 from the prior week. There were 3,416,540 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 May 12 were in Alaska (4.9), Puerto Rico (4.0), California (3.6), Pennsylvania (3.6), New Jersey (3.3), Oregon (3.3), Connecticut (3.2), Illinois (3.0), Nevada (3.0), and Rhode Island (3.0).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 19 were in California (+2,716), Texas (+1,648), South Carolina (+1,029), Florida (+913), and Maryland (+626), while the largest decreases were in Wisconsin (-1,240), Michigan (-716), Georgia (-691), Pennsylvania (-594), and Washington (-447).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS WEEK ENDING Advance May 26 May 19 Change May 12 Prior Year1 Initial Claims (SA) 383,000 373,000 +10,000 372,000 424,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 341,167 330,431 +10,736 325,094 381,497 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 374,500 370,750 +3,750 375,500 424,000 WEEK ENDING Advance May 19 May 12 Change May 5 Prior Year1 Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,242,000 3,278,000 -36,000 3,288,000 3,751,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,043,782 3,124,384 -80,602 3,150,380 3,510,507 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,263,750 3,275,750 -12,000 3,288,500 3,757,500 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.6% 2.6% 0.0 2.6% 3.0% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.4% 2.5% -0.1 2.5% 2.8% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING May 19 May 12 Change Prior Year1 Federal Employees 1,199 1,204 -5 1,661 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,532 2,521 +11 2,440 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING May 12 May 5 Change Prior Year1 Regular State 3,117,110 3,141,342 -24,232 3,537,040 Federal Employees (UCFE) 16,052 17,523 -1,471 23,515 Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 39,153 38,632 +521 36,742 EUC 20083 2,618,366 2,630,507 -12,141 3,416,540 Extended Benefits4 312,434 299,955 +12,479 624,969 State Additional Benefits 5 5,286 6,363 -1,077 27,895 STC / Workshare 6 29,461 34,293 -4,832 47,186 TOTAL 6,137,862 6,168,615 -30,753 7,713,887 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 05/19/2012 STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment WI -1,240 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 State Change State Supplied Comment CA +2,716 Layoffs in the service industry.
TX +1,648 No comment.
SC +1,029 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
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/
