News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 06-840-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 : May 18, 2006
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending May 13, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 367,000, an increase of 42,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 325,000. The 4-week moving average was 333,250, an increase of 15,750 from the previous week's revised average of 317,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.8 percent for the week ending May 6, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 1.8 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 6 was 2,389,000, an increase of 8,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,381,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,413,000, a decrease of 9,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,422,500.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 308,682 in the week ending May 13, an increase of 24,109 from the previous week. There were 275,524 initial claims in the comparable week in 2005.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.7 percent during the week ending May 6, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,234,118, a decrease of 63,618 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 1.9 percent and the volume was 2,443,129.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending April 29.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 971 in the week ending May 6, an increase of 153 from the prior week. There were 2,373 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 795 from the preceding week.

There were 12,812 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 29, an increase of 556 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 26,115, a decrease of 75 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending April 29 were in Alaska (4.5 percent), Puerto Rico (3.6), Michigan (3.3), Pennsylvania (2.7), New Jersey (2.6), Oregon (2.5), Vermont (2.4), Wisconsin (2.4), California (2.3), and Rhode Island (2.3).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 6 were in Puerto Rico (+20,046), Iowa (+2,251), Texas (+1,358), Michigan (+1,160), and Illinois (+988), while the largest decreases were in New York (-11,332), Ohio (-7,578), New Jersey (-1,495), Alabama (-1,335), and Minnesota (-1,144).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING May 13 May 6 Change April 29 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 367,000 325,000 +42,000 325,000 329,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 308,682 284,573 +24,109 279,715 275,524
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 333,250 317,500 +15,750 314,750 333,500
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING May 6 April 29 Change April 22 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,389,000 2,381,000 +8,000 2,441,000 2,616,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,234,118 2,297,736 -63,618 2,404,269 2,443,129
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,413,000 2,422,500 -9,500 2,432,500 2,606,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 1.8% 1.8% 0.0 1.9% 2.1%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 1.7% 1.8% -0.1 1.9% 1.9%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
May 6
April 29
Change
Year
Federal Employees 971 818 +153 1,043
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,373 1,578 +795 2,133
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
April 29
April 22
Change
Year
Federal Employees 12,812 12,256 +556 13,410
Newly Discharged Veterans 26,115 26,190 -75 26,977
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 3,272 6 +3,266 3,738
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 05/06/2006 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NY -11,332 Fewer layoffs in the transportation and service industries.
OH -7,578 No comment.
NJ -1,495 Fewer layoffs in the construction and trade industries.
AL -1,335 Fewer layoffs in the textile and primary metals industries.
MN -1,144 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MI +1,160 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
TX +1,358 Layoffs in the service, finance, and manufacturing industries.
IA +2,251 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
PR +20,046 Increase due to a partial government shutdown.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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