News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 05-642-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Subri Raman (202) 693-3058 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176 8:30 A.M. (EDT), THURSDAY
Media Contact : April 14, 2005
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending April 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 330,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 340,000. The 4-week moving average was 338,000, an increase of 250 from the previous week's revised average of 337,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.1 percent for the week ending April 2, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.1 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending April 2 was 2,664,000, a decrease of 22,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,686,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,655,500, an increase of 4,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,651,250.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 337,960 in the week ending April 9, an increase of 43,275 from the previous week. There were 350,739 initial claims in the comparable week in 2004.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent during the week ending April 2, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,818,036, a decrease of 141,460 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.5 percent and the volume was 3,112,845.

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Extended benefits were available in Alaska during the week ending March 26.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 908 in the week ending April 2, a decrease of 39 from the prior week. There were 1,974 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 119 from the preceding week.

There were 15,507 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 26, a decrease of 916 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 25,792, an increase of 557 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending March 26 were in Alaska (5.7 percent), Puerto Rico (5.1), Michigan (4.1), Pennsylvania (3.9), Wisconsin (3.7), New Jersey (3.4), Massachusetts (3.3), Oregon (3.3), Rhode Island (3.3), Connecticut (3.0), Idaho (3.0), Illinois (3.0), and Vermont (3.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending April 2 were in New Jersey (+5,922), New York (+2,264), Puerto Rico (+1,467), Alabama (+1,213), and Connecticut (+1,106), while the largest decreases were in California (-8,535), North Carolina (-2,474), Kansas (-925), New Mexico (-553), and Virginia (-482).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING April 9 April 2 Change March 26 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 330,000 340,000 -10,000 352,000 357,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 337,960 294,685 +43,275 291,378 350,739
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 338,000 337,750 +250 336,500 347,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING April 2 March 26 Change March 19 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,664,000 2,686,000 -22,000 2,598,000 2,990,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,818,036 2,959,496 -141,460 2,914,530 3,112,845
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,655,500 2,651,250 +4,250 2,653,750 3,020,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.1% 2.1% 0.0 2.1% 2.4%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.2% 2.3% -0.1 2.3% 2.5%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
April 2
March 26
Change
Year
Federal Employees 908 947 -39 1,078
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,974 1,855 +119 1,579
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
March 26
March 19
Change
Year
Federal Employees 15,507 16,423 -916 17,205
Newly Discharged Veterans 25,792 25,235 +557 27,198
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 1,289 4,004 -2,715 2,266
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 127,095,859 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 04/02/2005 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -8,535 Decrease due to a shorter workweek (Thursday, March 31, 2005, was a California state holiday).
NC -2,474 Fewer layoffs in the construction and transportation industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
WA +1,060 No comment.
CT +1,106 No comment.
AL +1,213 Layoffs in the service, transportation, and warehousing industries.
PR +1,467 No comment.
NY +2,264 Layoffs in the transportation and service industries.
NJ +5,922 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, transportation, warehousing, and public administration industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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