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News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 11-810-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 : June 2, 2011
(202) 693-4676  
 

 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending May 28, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 422,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 428,000. The 4-week moving average was 425,500, a decrease of 14,000 from the previous week's revised average of 439,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent for the week ending May 21, unchanged from the prior week's revised rate of 3.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 21 was 3,711,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,712,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,737,750, a decrease of 10,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,747,750.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 377,421 in the week ending May 28, an increase of 1,701 from the previous week. There were 418,873 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent during the week ending May 21, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,477,006, a decrease of 63,881 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.4 percent and the volume was 4,380,562.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending May 14 was 7,682,830, a decrease of 56,742 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 14.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,648 in the week ending May 21, an increase of 98 from the prior week. There were 2,394 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 88 from the preceding week.

There were 23,585 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending May 14, a decrease of 2,417 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 36,606, an increase of 584 from the prior week.

States reported 3,415,223 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending May 14, an increase of 3,363 from the prior week. There were 4,998,428 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 14 were in Alaska (5.3 percent), Puerto Rico (4.7), Oregon (4.1), California (3.9), Pennsylvania (3.9), Nevada (3.6), New Jersey (3.6), Connecticut (3.5), Rhode Island (3.3), and Wisconsin (3.3).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 21 were in California (+7,053), Massachusetts (+1,948), South Carolina (+1,066), Wisconsin (+1,019), Pennsylvania (+959), while the largest decreases were in Alabama (-1,448), Oregon (-1,104), Kentucky (-696), Idaho (-557) and Hawaii (-438).

 

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
WEEK ENDING Advance May 28 May 21 Change May 14 Prior Year1
Initial Claims (SA) 422,000 428,000 -6,000 414,000 464,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 377,421 375,720 +1,701 361,573 418,873
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 425,500 439,500 -14,000 440,250 465,750
WEEK ENDING Advance May 21 May 14 Change May 7 Prior Year1
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,711,000 3,712,000 -1,000 3,736,000 4,685,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,477,006 3,540,887 -63,881 3,586,266 4,380,562
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,737,750 3,747,750 -10,000 3,734,500 4,659,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 3.0% 3.0% 0.0 3.0% 3.7%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 2.8% 2.8% 0.0 2.9% 3.4%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
May 21
May 14
Change
Prior Year1
Federal Employees 1,648 1,550 +98 1,604
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,394 2,482 -88 2,641
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
May 14
May 7
Change
Prior Year1
Regular State 3,527,955 3,571,995 -44,040

4,391,497

Federal Employees (UCFE) 23,585 26,002 -2,417 17,006
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 36,606 36,022 +584 36,987
EUC 20083 3,415,223 3,411,860 +3,363 4,998,428
Extended Benefits4 625,675 633,946 -8,271 363,648
State Additional Benefits 5 6,600 6,744 -144 5,599
STC / Workshare 6 47,186 53,003 -5,817 80,057
TOTAL 7,682,830 7,739,572 -56,742 9,893,282
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 05/21/2011 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
AL -1,448 Fewer layoffs in the service, apparel, and manufacturing industries.
OR -1,104 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
WI +1,019 Layoffs in the manufacturing and service industries.
SC +1,066 Layoffs in the service industry.
MA +1,948 Layoffs in the construction and service industries.
CA +7,053 Layoffs in the service industry.

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/