News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 07-624-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 3, 2007
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending April 28, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 305,000, a decrease of 21,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 326,000. The 4-week moving average was 328,750, a decrease of 4,500 from the previous week's revised average of 333,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent for the week ending April 21, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending April 21 was 2,495,000, a decrease of 93,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,588,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,534,000, an increase of 1,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,532,500.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 266,666 in the week ending April 28, a decrease of 37,795 from the previous week. There were 279,715 initial claims in the comparable week in 2006.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent during the week ending April 21, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,452,408, a decrease of 181,964 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 1.9 percent and the volume was 2,404,269.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending April 14.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 860 in the week ending April 21, a decrease of 131 from the prior week. There were 1,486 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 108 from the preceding week.

There were 15,011 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 14, an increase of 2,268 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 23,077, an increase of 206 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending April 14 were in Alaska (4.6 percent), Michigan (3.9), Pennsylvania (3.2), Wisconsin (3.1), New Jersey (3.0), Puerto Rico (3.0), Vermont (2.9), Rhode Island (2.8), California (2.6), Massachusetts (2.6), Minnesota (2.6), and Oregon (2.6).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending April 21 were in Massachusetts (+5,564), Michigan (+3,451), Connecticut (+2,783), North Carolina (+2,675), and Louisiana (+1,448), while the largest decreases were in New York (-13,569), New Jersey (-3,225), Wisconsin (-3,153), Ohio (-2,359), and Indiana (-1,805).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING April 28 April 21 Change April 14 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 305,000 326,000 -21,000 341,000 322,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 266,666 304,461 -37,795 317,763 279,715
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 328,750 333,250 -4,500 329,250 311,750
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING April 21 April 14 Change April 7 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,495,000 2,588,000 -93,000 2,529,000 2,451,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,452,408 2,634,372 -181,964 2,594,605 2,404,269
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,534,000 2,532,500 +1,500 2,514,750 2,444,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 1.9% 2.0% -0.1 1.9% 1.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 1.9% 2.0% -0.1 2.0% 1.9%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
April 21
April 14
Change
Year
Federal Employees 860 991 -131 961
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,486 1,594 -108 1,626
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
April 14
April 7
Change
Year
Federal Employees 15,011 12,743 +2,268 14,026
Newly Discharged Veterans 23,077 22,871 +206 26,764
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 7 0 +7 807
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 131,660,675 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 04/21/2007 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NY -13,569 Fewer layoffs in the transportation, public administration, and service industries.
NJ -3,225 Fewer layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, construction, and manufacturing industries.
WI -3,153 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.
OH -2,359 No comment.
IN -1,805 Fewer layoffs in the warehousing industry.
PR -1,447 No comment.
GA -1,161 Fewer layoffs in the musical instruments industry.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
TN +1,343 Layoffs in the industrial machinery, chemical, and trade industries.
RI +1,371 Layoffs in the service industry.
LA +1,448 No comment.
NC +2,675 Layoffs in the transportation equipment, construction, textile, printing/publishing, and rubber/plastics industries.
CT +2,783 Layoffs in the transportation and service industries.
MI +3,451 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
MA +5,564 Layoffs in the transportation and service industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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