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News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 11-624-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Scott Gibbons (202) 693-3008 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176 8:30 A.M. (EDT), THURSDAY
Media Contact : May 5, 2011
(202) 693-4676  
 

 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending April 30, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 474,000, an increase of 43,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 431,000. The 4-week moving average was 431,250, an increase of 22,250 from the previous week's revised average of 409,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent for the week ending April 23, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending April 23 was 3,733,000, an increase of 74,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,659,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,700,750, a decrease of 1,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,702,000.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 412,873 in the week ending April 30, an increase of 25,006 from the previous week. There were 399,350 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent during the week ending April 23, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,751,962, a decrease of 31,825 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.6 percent and the volume was 4,671,227.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending April 16 was 8,014,919, a decrease of 171,547 from the previous week.

 

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Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, during the week ending April 16.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,413 in the week ending April 23, a decrease of 322 from the prior week. There were 2,076 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 241 from the preceding week.

There were 29,777 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 16, a decrease of 4,749 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 37,513, a decrease of 8,488 from the prior week.

States reported 3,447,542 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending April 16, a decrease of 718 from the prior week. There were 5,349,618 claimants in the comparable week in 2010. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending April 16 were in Alaska (6.0 percent), Puerto Rico (4.8), Oregon (4.4), Pennsylvania (4.2), California (4.1), Wisconsin (4.1), Rhode Island (3.9), Idaho (3.9), New Jersey (3.9), Nevada (3.8), and Montana (3.8).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending April 23 were in New Jersey (+5,326), Massachusetts (+4,027), Pennsylvania (+2,306), Ohio (+1,700), and Connecticut (+1,601), while the largest decreases were in Florida (-1,861), North Carolina (-1,662), Missouri (-1,618), New Mexico
(-1,417), and Arizona (-1,138).

 

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
WEEK ENDING Advance April 30 April 23 Change April 16 Prior Year1
Initial Claims (SA) 474,000 431,000 +43,000 404,000 460,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 412,873 387,867 +25,006 381,834 399,350
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 431,250 409,000 +22,250 399,250 465,750
WEEK ENDING Advance April 23 April 16 Change April 9 Prior Year1
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,733,000 3,659,000 +74,000 3,708,000 4,648,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,751,962 3,783,787 -31,825 3,893,218 4,671,227
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,700,750 3,702,000 -1,250 3,720,250 4,680,000
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 3.0% 2.9% +0.1 3.0% 3.6%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 3.0% 3.0% 0.0 3.1% 3.6%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
April 23
April 16
Change
Prior Year1
Federal Employees 1,413 1,735 -322 1,234
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,076 2,317 -241 2,437
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
April 16
April 9
Change
Prior Year1
Regular State 3,771,511 3,879,548 -108,037 4,773,958
Federal Employees (UCFE) 29,777 34,526 -4,749 19,333
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 37,513 46,001 +8,488 37,277
EUC 20083 3,447,542 3,448,260 -718 5,349,618
Extended Benefits4 674,171 716,314 -42,143 248,946
State Additional Benefits 5 6,552 6,406 +146 9,534
STC / Workshare 6 47,853 55,411 -7,558 86,205
TOTAL 8,014,919 8,186,466 -171,547 10,524,871
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 125,572,661 as denominator.
3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity. Tier-specific EUC data can be found here: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/persons.xls
4 - Information on the EB program can be found here: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/extenben.asp
5 - Some states maintain additional benefit programs for those claimants who exhaust regular, extended and emergency benefits. Information on states that participate and the extent of benefits can be  found starting on page 4-5 of this link: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf
6 - Information on STC/Worksharing can be found starting on page 4-9 of the following link: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf

 

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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 04/23/2011 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
FL -1,861 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries, and agriculture.
NC -1,662 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, tobacco, and furniture industries.
MO -1,618 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
NM -1,417 No comment.
AZ -1,138 No comment.
GA -1,053 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
KY +1,031 No comment.
MD +1,358 No comment.
RI +1,513 Layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
IL +1,515 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
CT +1,601 Layoffs in the transportation and service industries.
OH +1,700 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
PA +2,306 Layoffs in the construction, service, and transportation industries.
MA +4,027 Layoffs in the transportation and service industries.
NJ +5,326 Layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, trade, service, and public administration industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

 

This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-693-4676. TDD Message Phone: 1-800-326-2577.  News releases from the U.S. Department of Labor are accessible on the Internet at: http://www.dol.gov/ and  https://oui.doleta.gov/