SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending June 2, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 377,000, a decrease of 12,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 389,000. The 4-week moving average was 377,750, an increase of 1,750 from the previous week's revised average of 376,000.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending May 26, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 26 was 3,293,000, an increase of 34,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,259,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,279,500, an increase of 11,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,268,000.
UNADJUSTED DATA The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 321,884 in the week ending June 2, a decrease of 24,376 from the previous week. There were 366,816 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent during the week ending May 26, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,039,077, a decrease of 21,271 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.7 percent and the volume was 3,426,345.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending May 19 was 5,970,729, a decrease of 167,133 from the previous week.
Extended benefits were available in the District of Columbia, Idaho, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and West Virginia during the week ending May 19.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,459 in the week ending May 26, an increase of 260 from the prior week. There were 2,304 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 228 from the preceding week.
There were 16,188 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending May 19, an increase of 136 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 38,492, a decrease of 661 from the prior week.
States reported 2,572,558 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending May 19, a decrease of 45,808 from the prior week. There were 3,381,090 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 19 were in Alaska (4.6), Puerto Rico (3.8), Pennsylvania (3.5), California (3.4), New Jersey (3.3), Connecticut (3.2), Oregon (3.2), Illinois (3.0), Nevada (3.0), Rhode Island (2.9), and Virgin Islands (2.9).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 26 were in Georgia (+2,078), Tennessee (+1,983), Missouri (+1,898), Illinois (+1,798), and New York (+1,578), while the largest decreases were in Texas (-376), North Carolina (-371), California (-344), Pennsylvania (-291), and Virginia (-275).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS WEEK ENDING Advance June 2 May 26 Change May 19 Prior Year1 Initial Claims (SA) 377,000 389,000 -12,000 373,000 425,000 Initial Claims (NSA) 321,884 346,260 -24,376 330,431 366,816 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 377,750 376,000 +1,750 370,750 422,750 WEEK ENDING Advance May 26 May 19 Change May 12 Prior Year1 Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,293,000 3,259,000 +34,000 3,278,000 3,716,000 Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,039,077 3,060,348 -21,271 3,124,384 3,426,345 4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,279,500 3,268,000 +11,500 3,275,750 3,737,750 Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.6% 2.6% 0.0 2.6% 3.0% Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.4% 2.4% 0.0 2.5% 2.7% INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING May 26 May 19 Change Prior Year1 Federal Employees 1,459 1,199 +260 2,142 Newly Discharged Veterans 2,304 2,532 -228 2,316 PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED) WEEK ENDING May 19 May 12 Change Prior Year1 Regular State 3,051,887 3,117,110 -65,223 3,498,800 Federal Employees (UCFE) 16,188 16,052 +136 23,335 Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 38,492 39,153 -661 36,261 EUC 20083 2,572,558 2,618,366 -45,808 3,381,090 Extended Benefits4 253,605 312,434 -58,829 618,459 State Additional Benefits 5 5,771 5,286 +485 6,442 STC / Workshare 6 32,228 29,461 +2,767 46,104 TOTAL 5,970,729 6,137,862 -167,133 7,610,491 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 05/26/2012 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 GA +2,078 Layoffs in the manufacturing, healthcare and social assistance, educational service, and administrative and support service industries.
TN +1,983 Layoffs in the administrative, transportation, food service, educational service, and social assistance industries.
MO +1,898 Layoffs in the accommodation and food service, educational service, and transportation and warehousing industries.
IL +1,798 Layoffs in the construction, accommodation and food service, and transportation and warehousing industries.
NY +1,578 Layoffs in the food service, manufacturing, and retail 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/
