News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 07-739-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 24, 2007
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending May 19, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 311,000, an increase of 15,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 296,000. The 4-week moving average was 302,750, a decrease of 3,500 from the previous week's revised average of 306,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent for the week ending May 12, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 1.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 12 was 2,529,000, an increase of 58,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,471,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,510,250, a decrease of 14,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,525,000.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 268,384 in the week ending May 19, an increase of 9,963 from the previous week. There were 277,168 initial claims in the comparable week in 2006.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.8 percent during the week ending May 12, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,334,228, an increase of 43,673 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 1.7 percent and the volume was 2,237,925.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending May 5.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 768 in the week ending May 12, a decrease of 79 from the prior week. There were 1,529 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 55 from the preceding week.

There were 10,868 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending May 5, a decrease of 2,168 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 21,751, a decrease of 98 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending May 5 were in Alaska (3.4 percent), Michigan (3.0), Puerto Rico (2.9), New Jersey (2.6), Oregon (2.5), Pennsylvania (2.5), Arkansas (2.4), Rhode Island (2.4), Wisconsin (2.4), Massachusetts (2.3), and Vermont (2.3).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 12 were in Mississippi (+889), Florida (+763), Virginia (+586), Georgia (+519), and Oklahoma (+348), while the largest decreases were in Kentucky (-4,177), Pennsylvania (-2,212), California (-1,521), Kansas (-1,335), and Illinois (-1,025).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING May 19 May 12 Change May 5 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 311,000 296,000 +15,000 298,000 322,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 268,384 258,421 +9,963 274,801 277,168
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 302,750 306,250 -3,500 317,500 330,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING May 12 May 5 Change April 28 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,529,000 2,471,000 +58,000 2,551,000 2,430,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,334,228 2,290,555 +43,673 2,451,472 2,237,925
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,510,250 2,525,000 -14,750 2,539,500 2,423,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 1.9% 1.9% 0.0 1.9% 1.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 1.8% 1.7% +0.1 1.9% 1.7%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
May 12
May 5
Change
Year
Federal Employees 768 847 -79 909
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,529 1,584 -55 1,937
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
May 5
April 28
Change
Year
Federal Employees 10,868 13,036 -2,168 11,377
Newly Discharged Veterans 21,751 21,849 -98 25,671
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 0 0 0 5,297
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 05/12/2007 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
KY -4,177 Fewer layoffs in the food industry.
PA -2,212 Fewer layoffs in the primary metals, leather goods, and utilities industries, and agriculture.
CA -1,521 Fewer layoffs in the service industry, agriculture, forestry, and fishing.
KS -1,335 Fewer layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.
IL -1,025 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, 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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