EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 03-265
   
   
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 29, 2003
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending May 24, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 424,000, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 433,000. The 4-week moving average was 427,000, a decrease of 7,250 from the previous week's revised average of 434,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3,0 percent for the week ending May 17, 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 17 was 3,763,000, an increase of 83,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,680,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,705,000, an increase of 26,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,678,250.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 358,561 in the week ending May 24, a decrease of 3,127 from the previous week. There were 346,439 initial claims in the comparable week in 2002.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent during the week ending May 17, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,439,229, a decrease of 12,933 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.6 percent and the volume was 3,373,492.

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington during the week ending May 10.

53 states reported that 827,900 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending May 10.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,076 in the week ending May 17, a decrease of 72 from the prior week. There were 1,010 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 272 from the preceding week.

There were 13,160 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending May 10, a decrease of 1,280 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 16,779, a decrease of 731 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending May 10 were in Alaska (5.3 percent), Oregon (4.8), Puerto Rico (4.8), Washington (4.0), Pennsylvania (3.9), California (3.8), Idaho (3.5), Michigan (3.4), Connecticut (3.2), Massachusetts (3.2), New Jersey (3.2), and Wisconsin (3.2).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 17 were in Tennessee (+3,021), Oklahoma (+2,972), South Carolina (+2,789), Georgia (+2,774), and Alabama (+2,254), while the largest decreases were in California (-6,387), Michigan (-2,339), Ohio (-2,329), New York (-1,760), and Illinois (-1,592).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING May 24  May 17 Change May 10  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 424,000 433,000 -9,000 421,000 409,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 358,561 361,688 -3,127 363,731 346,439
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 427,000 434,250 -7,250 440,750 414,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING May 17 May 10  Change May 3 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,763,000 3,680,000 +83,000 3,734,000 3,707,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,439,229 3,452,162 -12,933 3,502,794 3,373,492
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,705,000 3,678,250 +26,750 3,648,750 3,702,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 3.0% 2.9% +0.1 2.9% 2.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.7% 2.7% 0.0 2.8% 2.6%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
May 17
May 10
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,076 1,148 -72 1,104
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,010 1,282 -272 996
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
May 10
May 3
Change
Year
Federal Employees 13,160 14,440 -1,280 13,346
Newly Discharged Veterans 16,779 17,510 -731 14,130
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 4,000
Extended Benefits 15,959 16,629 -670 2,696
Federal (TEUC) 3 827,900 830,037 -2,137 1,231,318
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 05/17/2003 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -6,387 Fewer layoffs in the construction industry, and agriculture.
MI -2,339 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
OH -2,329 No comment.
NY -1,760 No comment.
IL -1,592 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
WI -1,301 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
MD -1,061 No comment.
MO -1,003 Fewer layoffs in the trade and service industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
MS +1,419 Layoffs in the furniture industry.
AL +2,254 Layoffs in the construction, electrical equipment, and manufacturing industries.
GA +2,774 Layoffs in the trade industry.
SC +2,789 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
OK +2,972 Claims activities increased due to tornadoes.
TN +3,021 Layoffs in the industrial machinery, trade, service, and fabricated metals industries.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series for 1967 to current

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