News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 06-672-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 20, 2006
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending April 15, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 303,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 313,000. The 4-week moving average was 305,250, a decrease of 2,250 from the previous week's unrevised average of 307,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent for the week ending April 8, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 1.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending April 8 was 2,439,000, an increase of 18,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,421,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,438,500, a decrease of 6,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,444,500.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 267,921 in the week ending April 15, a decrease of 46,438 from the previous week. There were 285,657 initial claims in the comparable week in 2005.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent during the week ending April 8, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,516,880, a decrease of 54,276 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.1 percent and the volume was 2,731,177.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending April 1.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,255 in the week ending April 8, an increase of 472 from the prior week. There were 1,938 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 373 from the preceding week.

There were 15,031 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 1, an increase of 678 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 26,965, a decrease of 104 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending April 1 were in Alaska (4.7 percent), Michigan (4.0), Wisconsin (3.2), Pennsylvania (3.0), New Jersey (2.9), Rhode Island (2.9), Vermont (2.9), Oregon (2.8), Massachusetts (2.7), Puerto Rico (2.6), California (2.5), and Connecticut (2.5).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending April 8 were in California (+19,118), Michigan (+6,089), Pennsylvania (+4,325), Florida (+2,759), and Washington (+2,394), while the largest decreases were in Alabama (-1,538), North Carolina (-1,306), Nebraska (-381), Iowa (-381), and Maine (-254).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING April 15 April 8 Change April 1 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 303,000 313,000 -10,000 301,000 315,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 267,921 314,359 -46,438 253,985 285,657
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 305,250 307,500 -2,250 309,000 336,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING April 8 April 1 Change March 25 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,439,000 2,421,000 +18,000 2,432,000 2,639,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,516,880 2,571,156 -54,276 2,680,141 2,731,177
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,438,500 2,444,500 -6,000 2,453,000 2,655,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 1.9% 1.9% 0.0 1.9% 2.1%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 1.9% 2.0% -0.1 2.1% 2.1%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
April 8
April 1
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,255 783 +472 1,367
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,938 1,565 +373 2,382
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
April 1
March 25
Change
Year
Federal Employees 15,031 14,353 +678 15,230
Newly Discharged Veterans 26,965 27,069 -104 25,492
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 715 888 -173 4,171
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 129,381,803 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 04/08/2006 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
AL -1,538 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.
NC -1,306 Fewer layoffs in the construction, lumber/wood, apparel, and transportation industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CO +1,094 No comment.
IL +1,101 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.
PR +1,113 No comment.
NJ +1,496 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
MD +1,542 Layoffs in the rubber/plastics industry.
AZ +1,760 No comment.
GA +1,914 Layoffs in the transportation industry.
IN +2,073 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
NY +2,205 No comment.
TX +2,384 Layoffs in the transportation and manufacturing industries.
WA +2,394 No comment.
FL +2,759 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
PA +4,325 Layoffs in the trade and service industries.
MI +6,089 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
CA +19,118 Increase due to the start of a new quarter of wage credits for benefit purposes, as well as layoffs in the construction and service industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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