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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.

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).

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: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/persons.xls
4 - Information on the EB program can be found here: http://www.ows.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: http://ows.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: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf

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.

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  http://www.oui.doleta.gov/