@media Print { .newhead { } .showme { DISPLAY: none } } @media Screen { .hidemore { DISPLAY: none } } P.breakhere { PAGE-BREAK-BEFORE: always }
News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL13-1000-NAT
   
   
Program Contacts: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Tom Stengle (202) 693-2991 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176 8:30 A.M. (Eastern), Thursday
Media Contact: (202) 693-4676 May 23, 2013
   

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending May 18, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 340,000, a decrease of 23,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 363,000. The 4-week moving average was 339,500, a decrease of 500 from the previous week's revised average of 340,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending May 11, unchanged from the prior week's revised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 11 was 2,912,000, a decrease of 112,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,024,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,995,250, a decrease of 23,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,019,000.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 301,056 in the week ending May 18, a decrease of 19,767 from the previous week. There were 330,427 initial claims in the comparable week in 2012.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.1 percent during the week ending May 11, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,766,163, a decrease of 124,662 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,890,825. A year earlier, the rate was 2.5 percent and the volume was 3,124,324.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending May 4 was 4,745,266, a decrease of 98,540 from the previous week. There were 6,168,434 persons claiming benefits in all programs in the comparable week in 2012.

 

2

Extended Benefits were available only in Alaska during the week ending May 4.

Initial claims for UI benefits filed by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,468 in the week ending May 11, an increase of 47 from the prior week. There were 2,124 initial claims filed by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 195 from the preceding week.

There were 18,353 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending May 4, a decrease of 136 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 36,141, a decrease of 830 from the prior week.

States reported 1,776,686 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending May 4, a decrease of 15,415 from the prior week. There were 2,630,544 persons claiming EUC in the comparable week in 2012. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending May 4 were in Alaska (5.0), Puerto Rico (4.4), California (3.3), New Jersey (3.2), Connecticut (3.1), New Mexico (3.1), Pennsylvania (3.0), Nevada (2.9), Oregon (2.9) Illinois (2.8), and Wisconsin (2.8).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 11 were in California (+15,060), North Carolina (+1,826), Mississippi (+1,341), Florida (+1,329), and Georgia (+1,118), while the largest decreases were in New Mexico (-754), Oregon (-751), New Jersey (-747), Kentucky (-683), and Tennessee (-488).

 

3
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
WEEK ENDING Advance May 18 May 11 Change May 4 Prior Year1
Initial Claims (SA) 340,000 363,000 -23,000 328,000 371,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 301,056 320,823 -19,767 302,767 330,427
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 339,500 340,000 -500 338,000 370,250
WEEK ENDING Advance May 11 May 4 Change April 27 Prior Year1
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,912,000 3,024,000 -112,000 3,013,000 3,296,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,766,163 2,890,825 -124,662 2,971,056 3,124,324
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,995,250 3,019,000 -23,750 3,036,250 3,297,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.3% 2.3% 0.0 2.3% 2.6%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 2.1% 2.2% -0.1 2.3% 2.5%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
May 11
May 4
Change
Prior Year1
Federal Employees 1,468 1,421 +47 1,204
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,124 2,319 -195 2,521
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
May 4
April 27
Change
Prior Year1
Regular State 2,884,504 2,964,353 -79,849 3,141,139
Federal Employees (UCFE) 18,353 18,489 -136 17,520
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 36,141 36,971 -830 38,620
EUC 20083 1,776,686 1,792,101 -15,415 2,630,544
Extended Benefits4 398 502 -104 299,955
State Additional Benefits 5 5,884 5,900 -16 6,363
STC / Workshare 6 23,300 25,490 -2,190 34,293
TOTAL 4,745,266 4,843,806 -98,540 6,168,434
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 129,204,324 as denominator.
3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity. Tier-specific EUC data can be found here: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/persons.xls
4 - Information on the EB program can be found here: https://oui.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: https://oui.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: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf

 

4

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 05/11/2013

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
CA +15,060 Layoffs in the service industry.
NC +1,826 Layoffs in the construction, electronic, rubber, and plastic industries.
MS +1,341 No comment.
FL +1,329 Layoffs in the agriculture, construction, manufacturing, retail, and service industries.
GA +1,118 Layoffs in the manufacturing, administrative and support service, accommodation and food service, and construction industries.

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  https://oui.doleta.gov/