Please note: As of January 20, 2021, information in some news releases may be out of date or not reflect current policies.
News Release
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending May 30, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 621,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 625,000. The 4-week moving average was 631,250, an increase of 4,000 from the previous week's revised average of 627,250.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 5.0 percent for the week ending May 23, unchanged from the prior week's revised rate of 5.0 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 23 was 6,735,000, a decrease of 15,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 6,750,000. The 4-week moving average was 6,687,500, an increase of 88,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 6,598,750.
The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.184 million.
UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 496,822 in the week ending May 30, a decrease of 41,577 from the previous week. There were 300,989 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.5 percent during the week ending May 23, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 6,014,501, a decrease of 141,671 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.1 percent and the volume was 2,757,822.
Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin during the week ending May 16.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,642 in the week ending May 23, an increase of 225 from the prior week. There were 1,759 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 18 from the preceding week.
There were 15,301 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending May 16, a decrease of 510 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 28,435, an increase of 181 from the prior week.
States reported 2,347,218 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending May 16, an increase of 161,355 from the prior week. EUC weekly claims include both first and second tier activity.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending May 16 were in Michigan (7.6 percent), Oregon (7.1), Puerto Rico (6.7), Nevada (6.4), Pennsylvania (6.2), Wisconsin (5.9), California (5.5), Arkansas (5.4), Idaho (5.4), and North Carolina (5.4).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 23 were in Illinois (+3,881), Iowa (+2,312), South Carolina (+1,792), Texas (+1,548), and Wisconsin (+1,464), while the largest decreases were in North Carolina (-3,952), Michigan (-2,812), Ohio (-2,158), Tennessee (-2,053), and Connecticut (-1,320).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
| Advance |
|
|
| Prior1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WEEK ENDING | May 30 | May 23 | Change | May 16 | Year |
Initial Claims (SA) | 621,000 | 625,000 | -4,000 | 636,000 | 370,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Initial Claims (NSA) | 496,822 | 538,399 | -41,577 | 540,925 | 300,989 |
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) | 631,250 | 627,250 | +4,000 | 629,750 | 374,250 |
| Advance |
|
|
| Prior1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WEEK ENDING | May 23 | May 16 | Change | May 9 | Year |
Ins. Unemployment (SA) | 6,735,000 | 6,750,000 | -15,000 | 6,678,000 | 3,095,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) | 6,014,501 | 6,156,172 | -141,671 | 6,204,009 | 2,757,822 |
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) | 6,687,500 | 6,598,750 | +88,750 | 6,484,500 | 3,080,500 |
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 | 5.0% | 5.0% | 0.0 | 5.0% | 2.3% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 | 4.5% | 4.6% | -0.1 | 4.6% | 2.1% |
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
|
|
|
| Prior1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
WEEK ENDING | May 23 | May 16 | Change | Year |
Federal Employees | 1,642 | 1,417 | +225 | 937 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Newly Discharged Veterans | 1,759 | 1,777 | -18 | 1,348 |
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
|
|
|
| Prior1 |
WEEK ENDING | May 16 | May 9 | Change | Year |
Federal Employees | 15,301 | 15,811 | -510 | 10,583 |
Newly Discharged Veterans | 28,435 | 28,254 | +181 | 19,915 |
Railroad Retirement Board | 10,000 | 10,000 | 0 | 2,000 |
Extended Benefits | 146,689 | 157,747 | -11,058 | 0 |
EUC 20083 | 2,347,218 | 2,185,863 | +161,355 | 0 |
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 133,683,433 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include both first and second tier activity.
UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 05/23/2009
STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
State | Change |
| State Supplied Comment |
NC | -3,952 |
| Fewer layoffs in the construction, furniture, and transportation industries. |
MI | -2,812 |
| Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry. |
OH | -2,158 |
| Fewer layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries. |
TN | -2,053 |
| Fewer layoffs in the transportation equipment, service, and manufacturing industries. |
CT | -1,320 |
| No comment. |
VA | -1,165 |
| Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry. |
WA | -1,163 |
| No comment. |
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
State | Change |
| State Supplied Comment |
WI | +1,464 |
| Layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries. |
TX | +1,548 |
| Layoffs in the construction, service, finance, and manufacturing industries. |
SC | +1,792 |
| Layoffs in the manufacturing industry. |
IA | +2,312 |
| Layoffs in the manufacturing industry. |
IL | +3,881 |
| Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries. |
State Detail Prior WeekUI 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.ows.doleta.gov/