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News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 11-766-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 26, 2011
(202) 693-4676  
 

 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending May 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 424,000, an increase of 10,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 414,000. The 4-week moving average was 438,500, a decrease of 1,750 from the previous week's revised average of 440,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending May 14, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 14 was 3,690,000, a decrease of 46,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,736,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,742,250, an increase of 7,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,734,500.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 371,857 in the week ending May 21, an increase of 10,284 from the previous week. There were 410,778 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent during the week ending May 14, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,520,413, a decrease of 65,853 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.4 percent and the volume was 4,411,435.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending May 7 was 7,739,572, a decrease of 196,976 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, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia, during the week ending May 7.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,550 in the week ending May 14, an increase of 101 from the prior week. There were 2,482 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 12 from the preceding week.

There were 26,002 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending May 7, a decrease of 493 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 36,022, a decrease of 1,164 from the prior week.

States reported 3,411,860 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending May 7, a decrease of 57,119 from the prior week. There were 5,053,266 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 May 7 were in Alaska (5.5 percent), Puerto Rico (4.3), Oregon (4.2), Pennsylvania (4.0), California (3.9), Nevada (3.7), New Jersey (3.7), Connecticut (3.6), Illinois (3.6), Idaho (3.4), Rhode Island (3.4), and Wisconsin (3.4).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 14 were in Florida (+1,340), Georgia (+747), New Mexico (+415), Idaho (+282), and Hawaii (+236), while the largest decreases were in California (-6,828), Michigan (-6,740), New York (-2,569), Alabama (-2,093) and Wisconsin (-2,079).

 

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
WEEK ENDING Advance May 21 May 14 Change May 7 Prior Year1
Initial Claims (SA) 424,000 414,000 +10,000 438,000 467,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 371,857 361,573 +10,284 397,737 410,778
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 438,500 440,250 -1,750 437,750 464,750
WEEK ENDING Advance May 14 May 7 Change April 30 Prior Year1
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,690,000 3,736,000 -46,000 3,792,000 4,639,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,520,413 3,586,266 -65,853 3,723,271 4,411,435
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,742,250 3,734,500 +7,750 3,727,500 4,650,250
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.9% 3.0% -0.1 3.0% 3.6%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 2.8% 2.9% -0.1 3.0% 3.4%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
May 14
May 7
Change
Prior Year1
Federal Employees 1,550 1,449 +101 1,500
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,482 2,470 +12 2,430
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
May 7
April 30
Change
Prior Year1
Regular State 3,571,995 3,711,863 -139,868

4,451,098

Federal Employees (UCFE) 26,002 26,495 -493 17,960
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 36,022 37,186 -1,164 36,427
EUC 20083 3,411,860 3,468,979 -57,119 5,053,266
Extended Benefits4 633,946 640,042 -6,096 331,323
State Additional Benefits 5 6,744 6,814 -70 10,126
STC / Workshare 6 53,003 45,169 +7,834 81,607
TOTAL 7,739,572 7,936,548 -196,976 9,981,807
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 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 05/14/2011 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -6,828 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.
MI -6,740 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
NY -2,569 Few layoffs in the transportation and service industries.
AL -2,093 Fewer layoffs in the food, construction, textile, and apparel industries.
WI -2,079 No comment.
NC -1,830 Fewer layoffs in the food, construction, leather goods, textile, and funiture industries.
WA -1,459 No comment.
IL -1,422 Fewer layoffs in the constrution, service, and manufacturing industries.
KY -1,262 No comment.
MA -1,148 No comment.
MO -1,144 Fewer layoffs in the constrution and manufacturing industries.
TX -1,118 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing, service, and trade insdutries.
PA -1,071 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, trade, and transportation industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
FL +1,340 Layoffs in the consrtuction, manufacturing, and service industries, and agriculture.

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/