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News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL13-939-NAT
   
   
Program Contacts: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Tom Stengle (202) 693-2991 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176 8:30 A.M. (Eastern), Thursday
Media Contact: (202) 693-4676 May 16, 2013
   

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending May 11, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 360,000, an increase of 32,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 328,000. The 4-week moving average was 339,250, an increase of 1,250 from the previous week's revised average of 338,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending May 4, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 4 was 3,009,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,013,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,015,250, a decrease of 21,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,036,250.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 318,203 in the week ending May 11, a decrease of 15,436 from the previous week. There were 325,094 initial claims in the comparable week in 2012.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent during the week ending May 4, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,876,202, a decrease of 94,854 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,971,056. A year earlier, the rate was 2.5 percent and the volume was 3,150,177.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending April 27 was 4,843,806, a decrease of 30,720 from the previous week. There were 6,273,508 persons claiming benefits in all programs in the comparable week in 2012.

 

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Extended Benefits were available only in Alaska during the week ending April 27.

Initial claims for UI benefits filed by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,421 in the week ending May 4, an increase of 57 from the prior week. There were 2,319 initial claims filed by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 160 from the preceding week.

There were 18,489 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 27, a decrease of 237 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 36,971, an increase of 253 from the prior week.

States reported 1,792,101 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending April 27, an increase of 28,924 from the prior week. There were 2,666,055 persons claiming EUC in the comparable week in 2012. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending April 27 were in Alaska (5.1), Puerto Rico (4.4), California (3.4), New Jersey (3.3), New Mexico (3.3), Connecticut (3.2), Pennsylvania (3.1), Nevada (3.0), Oregon (3.0), and Wisconsin (3.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 4 were in Georgia (+2,212), New Mexico (+1,539), Kentucky (+892), Tennessee (+668), and Ohio (+552), while the largest decreases were in Connecticut (-1,434), New Hampshire (-867), Massachusetts (-756), Wisconsin (-730), and Rhode Island (-702).

 

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
WEEK ENDING Advance May 11 May 4 Change April 27 Prior Year1
Initial Claims (SA) 360,000 328,000 +32,000 327,000 373,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 318,203 302,767 +15,436 301,135 325,094
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 339,250 338,000 +1,250 343,000 372,750
WEEK ENDING Advance May 4 April 27 Change April 20 Prior Year1
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,009,000 3,013,000 -4,000 3,032,000 3,309,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,876,202 2,971,056 -94,854 3,028,506 3,150,177
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,015,250 3,036,250 -21,000 3,058,750 3,309,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.3% 2.3% 0.0 2.3% 2.6%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 2.2% 2.3% -0.1 2.3% 2.5%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
May 4
April 27
Change
Prior Year1
Federal Employees 1,421 1,364 +57 1,197
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,319 2,159 +160 2,606
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
April 27
April 20
Change
Prior Year1
Regular State 2,964,353 3,022,100 -57,747 3,201,368
Federal Employees (UCFE) 18,489 18,726 -237 17,694
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 36,971 36,718 +253 39,683
EUC 20083 1,792,101 1,763,177 +28,924 2,666,055
Extended Benefits4 502 388 +114 304,755
State Additional Benefits 5 5,900 5,786 +114 7,079
STC / Workshare 6 25,490 27,631 -2,141 36,874
TOTAL 4,843,806 4,874,526 -30,720 6,273,508
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 129,204,324 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 paid, 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 05/04/2013

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CT -1,434 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
GA +2,212 Layoffs in the manufacturing, accommodation and food service, trade, and administrative and support service industries.
NM +1,539 No comment.

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/