EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 03-244
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Thomas Stengle (202) 693-2991 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Media Contact : 8:30 A.M. (EDT), THURSDAY
(202) 693-4676 May 15, 2003
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending May 10, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 417,000, a decrease of 13,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 430,000. The 4-week moving average was 439,750, a decrease of 7,500 from the previous week's revised average of 447,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent for the week ending May 3, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 3 was 3,770,000, an increase of 120,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,650,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,659,500, an increase of 57,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,602,500.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 359,943 in the week ending May 10, a decrease of 16,512 from the previous week. There were 358,286 initial claims in the comparable week in 2002.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent during the week ending May 3, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,536,097, a decrease of 91,917 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.7 percent and the volume was 3,470,968.

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington during the week ending April 26.

53 states reported that 808,950 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending April 26.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 963 in the week ending May 3, a decrease of 59 from the prior week. There were 1,108 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 6 from the preceding week.

There were 14,041 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 26, a decrease of 1,133 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 17,406, a decrease of 656 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending April 26 were in Alaska (5.9 percent), Oregon (4.9), Puerto Rico (4.6), Washington (4.2), Pennsylvania (4.1), California (4.0), Idaho (3.9), Massachusetts (3.6), Michigan (3.6), New Jersey (3.6), and Vermont (3.6).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 3 were in New York (+2,846), Ohio (+2,674), Iowa (+1,950), Michigan(+1,162), and Nebraska (+601), while the largest decreases were in Massachusetts (-5,335), New Jersey (-5,019), North Carolina (-4,709), Wisconsin (-2,701), and Connecticut (-2,114).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING May 10  May 3 Change April 26  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 417,000 430,000 -13,000 453,000 418,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 359,943 376,455 -16,512 401,089 358,286
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 439,750 447,250 -7,500 442,750 417,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING May 3 April 26  Change April 19 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,770,000 3,650,000 +120,000 3,656,000 3,720,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,536,097 3,628,014 -91,917 3,652,316 3,470,968
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,659,500 3,602,500 +57,000 3,562,000 3,668,000
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 3.0% 2.9% +0.1 2.9% 2.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.8% 2.9% -0.1 2.9% 2.7%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
May 3
April 26
Change
Year
Federal Employees 963 1,022 -59 1,177
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,108 1,114 -6 1,022
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
April 26
April 19
Change
Year
Federal Employees 14,041 15,174 -1,133 13,879
Newly Discharged Veterans 17,406 18,062 -656 14,660
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 4,000
Extended Benefits 16,253 16,707 -454 2,875
Federal (TEUC) 3 808,950 811,550 -2,600 1,282,094
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 126,632,357 as denominator.
3 - Prior year level based on the reports of 49 states.


UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 05/03/2003 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MA -5,335 No comment.
NJ -5,019 Fewer layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, service, and public administration industries.
NC -4,709 Fewer layoffs in the construction and furniture industries.
WI -2,701 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
CT -2,114 No comment.
SC -1,482 Fewer layoffs in the transportation industry.
IN -1,465 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
GA -1,412 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.
PA -1,233 Fewer layoffs in the construction, food, stone/clay/glass, and transportation industries.
DE -1,083 No comment.
CA -1,015 Fewer layoffs in the construction and electronics industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
MI +1,162 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
IA +1,950 No comment.
OH +2,674 No comment.
NY +2,846 No comment.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series for 1967 to current

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