News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 04-968-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 27, 2004
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending May 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 344,000, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 347,000. The 4-week moving average was 335,500, an increase of 1,500 from the previous week's revised average of 334,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending May 15, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.3 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 15 was 2,948,000, an increase of 19,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,929,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,937,750, a decrease of 14,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,951,750.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 293,457 in the week ending May 22, a decrease of 3,387 from the previous week. There were 359,500 initial claims in the comparable week in 2003.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent during the week ending May 15, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,744,888, a decrease of 22,961 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.7 percent and the volume was 3,400,384.

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Extended benefits were available in Alaska during the week ending May 8.

15,676 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending May 8.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 952 in the week ending May 15, a decrease of 250 from the prior week. There were 1,755 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 30 from the preceding week.

There were 13,909 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending May 8, a decrease of 1,836 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 25,694, an increase of 2 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending May 8 were in Alaska (4.8 percent), Puerto Rico (4.6), Oregon (3.4), Pennsylvania (3.1), Michigan (3.0), New Jersey (3.0), Washington (2.9), California (2.8), Massachusetts (2.7), Connecticut (2.6), Illinois (2.6), Rhode Island (2.6), and Wisconsin (2.6).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 15 were in South Carolina (+2,688), Missouri (+1,700), Michigan (+1,655), Alabama (+1,245), and Virginia (+1,125), while the largest decreases were in California (-1,723), Pennsylvania (-1,541), Minnesota (-1,411), Ohio (-1,116), and Massachusetts (-807).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING May 22  May 15 Change May 8  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 344,000 347,000 -3,000 333,000 419,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 293,457 296,844 -3,387 292,754 359,500
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 335,500 334,000 +1,500 336,250 421,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING May 15 May 8  Change May 1 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,948,000 2,929,000 +19,000 2,959,000 3,676,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,744,888 2,767,849 -22,961 2,831,940 3,400,384
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,937,750 2,951,750 -14,000 2,970,750 3,662,250
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.3% 2.3% 0.0 2.3% 2.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.2% 2.2% 0.0 2.2% 2.7%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
May 15
May 8
Change
Year
Federal Employees 952 1,202 -250 1,077
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,755 1,785 -30 1,010
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
May 8
May 1
Change
Year
Federal Employees 13,909 15,745 -1,836 12,927
Newly Discharged Veterans 25,694 25,692 +2 16,725
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 2,219 2,442 -223 15,959
Federal (TEUC) 15,676 17,142 -1,466 827,900
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 05/15/2004 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -1,723 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.
PA -1,541 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and food industries.
MN -1,411 Fewer layoffs in the transportation equipment industry.
OH -1,116 No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
VA +1,125 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
AL +1,245 Layoffs in the textile industry.
MI +1,655 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
MO +1,700 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
SC +2,688 Layoffs in the textile industry.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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