News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 07-661-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 10, 2007
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending May 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 297,000, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 306,000. The 4-week moving average was 317,250, a decrease of 11,500 from the previous week's unrevised average of 328,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent for the week ending April 28, 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 28 was 2,555,000, an increase of 65,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,490,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,540,500, an increase of 7,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,532,750.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 273,425 in the week ending May 5, an increase of 5,849 from the previous week. There were 317,239 initial claims in the comparable week in 2006.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent during the week ending April 28, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,455,262, an increase of 7,205 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 1.8 percent and the volume was 2,297,774.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending April 21.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 766 in the week ending April 28, a decrease of 95 from the prior week. There were 1,418 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 68 from the preceding week.

There were 11,987 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 21, a decrease of 3,024 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 22,201, a decrease of 876 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending April 21 were in Alaska (3.7 percent), Michigan (3.4), Vermont (3.2), Puerto Rico (3.1), Rhode Island (3.1), Massachusetts (2.8), New Jersey (2.8), Pennsylvania (2.7), Wisconsin (2.7), Connecticut (2.6), and Oregon (2.6).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending April 28 were in Ohio (+620), Iowa (+408), Nevada (+383), Puerto Rico (+320), and New Hampshire (+256), while the largest decreases were in Massachusetts (-5,162), New York (-4,847), North Carolina (-4,048), Michigan (-3,877), and Tennessee (-2,632).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING May 5 April 28 Change April 21 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 297,000 306,000 -9,000 325,000 342,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 273,425 267,576 +5,849 303,984 317,239
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 317,250 328,750 -11,500 333,000 320,500
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING April 28 April 21 Change April 14 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,555,000 2,490,000 +65,000 2,588,000 2,406,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,455,262 2,448,057 +7,205 2,634,301 2,297,774
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,540,500 2,532,750 +7,750 2,532,500 2,436,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 1.9% 1.9% 0.0 2.0% 1.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 1.9% 1.9% 0.0 2.0% 1.8%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
April 28
April 21
Change
Year
Federal Employees 766 861 -95 818
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,418 1,486 -68 1,578
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
April 21
April 14
Change
Year
Federal Employees 11,987 15,011 -3,024 12,256
Newly Discharged Veterans 22,201 23,077 -876 26,190
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 1 7 -6 6
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 04/28/2007 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MA -5,162 No comment.
NY -4,847 Fewer layoffs in the service and transportation industries.
NC -4,048 Fewer layoffs in the transportation equipment, construction, textile, rubber/plastics, and printing/publishing industries.
MI -3,877 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
TN -2,632 Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
GA -1,766 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
PA -1,686 Fewer layoffs in the transportation equipment and manufacturing industries.
CT -1,589 No comment.
LA -1,466 No comment.
RI -1,444 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.
SC -1,194 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
IL -1,110 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
TX -1,046 Fewer layoffs in the public administration, warehousing, and manufacturing industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
None    

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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