News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 04-844-NAT
   
   
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 13, 2004
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending May 8, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 331,000, an increase of 13,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 318,000. The 4-week moving average was 335,750, a decrease of 7,750 from the previous week's revised average of 343,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent for the week ending May 1, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.3 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 1 was 2,974,000, an increase of 53,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,921,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,976,000, an increase of 1,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,974,250.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 290,799 in the week ending May 8, an increase of 7,779 from the previous week. There were 364,287 initial claims in the comparable week in 2003.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent during the week ending May 1, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,846,262, a decrease of 75,102 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.8 percent and the volume was 3,502,794.

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Extended benefits were available in Alaska during the week ending April 24.

20,647 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending April 24.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 990 in the week ending May 1, a decrease of 43 from the prior week. There were 1,577 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 1 from the preceding week.

There were 14,827 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 24, a decrease of 2,092 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 25,815, a decrease of 515 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending April 24 were in Alaska (5.4 percent), Oregon (3.6), Puerto Rico (3.6), Michigan (3.4), Pennsylvania (3.4), New Jersey (3.3), Massachusetts (3.1), Connecticut (3.0), Vermont (3.0), and Washington (3.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 1 were in Oklahoma (+2,539), Kentucky (+557), Puerto Rico (+457), Iowa (+282), and Maine (+264), while the largest decreases were in Massachusetts (-5,065), North Carolina (-4,898), California (-3,593), New York (-3,386), and Michigan (-2,528).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING May 8  May 1 Change April 24  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 331,000 318,000 +13,000 338,000 418,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 290,799 283,020 +7,779 313,686 364,287
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 335,750 343,500 -7,750 346,500 431,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING May 1 April 24  Change April 17 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,974,000 2,921,000 +53,000 3,004,000 3,695,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,846,262 2,921,364 -75,102 3,037,412 3,502,794
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,976,000 2,974,250 +1,750 2,993,000 3,632,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.4% 2.3% +0.1 2.4% 2.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.3% 2.3% 0.0 2.4% 2.8%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
May 1
April 24
Change
Year
Federal Employees 990 1,033 -43 963
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,577 1,578 -1 1,109
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
April 24
April 17
Change
Year
Federal Employees 14,827 16,919 -2,092 13,792
Newly Discharged Veterans 25,815 26,330 -515 17,389
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 2,421 2,684 -263 16,253
Federal (TEUC) 20,647 23,334 -2,687 808,950
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 126,084,041 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 05/01/2004 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MA -5,068 No comment.
NC -4,898 Fewer layoffs in the construction, textile, and tobacco industries.
CA -3,593 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
NY -3,386 Fewer layoffs in the transportation and service industries.
MI -2,528 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
GA -1,909 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.
WI -1,097 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
TN -1,068 Fewer layoffs in the food, service, lumber/wood, and fabricated metals industries.
SC -1,025 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
OK +2,539 No comment.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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