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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATAIn the week ending April 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 412,000, an increase of 27,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 385,000. The 4-week moving average was 395,750, an increase of 5,500 from the previous week's revised average of 390,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending April 2, 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 April 2 was 3,680,000, a decrease of 58,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,738,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,728,750, a decrease of 20,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,749,500.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 443,503 in the week ending April 9, an increase of 89,686 from the previous week. There were 514,136 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.1 percent during the week ending April 2, a decrease of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,919,184, a decrease of 166,483 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.9 percent and the volume was 4,987,473.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending March 26 was 8,517,545.

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, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, during the week ending March 26.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,642 in the week ending April 2, an increase of 155 from the prior week. There were 2,187 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 119 from the preceding week.

There were 37,812 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 26, an increase of 1,025 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 38,182, a decrease of 481 from the prior week.

States reported 3,563,031 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending March 26, a decrease of 25,785 from the prior week. There were 5,852,143 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 March 26 were in Alaska (6.2 percent), Pennsylvania (4.8), Puerto Rico (4.8), Oregon (4.7), Montana (4.6), Rhode Island (4.6), Wisconsin (4.6), Idaho (4.5), New Jersey (4.4), and California (4.3).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending April 2 were in Massachusetts (+2,575), Pennsylvania (+1,606), Ohio (+1,094), Illinois (1,013), and Georgia (+625), while the largest decreases were in California (-8,095), Texas (-2,913), Florida (-1,731), Missouri (-898), and Oregon (-733).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance April 9

April 2

Change

March 26

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

412,000

385,000

+27,000

392,000

477,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

443,503

353,817

+89,686

357,457

514,136

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

395,750

390,250

+5,500

395,250

465,250

WEEK ENDING

Advance April 2

March 26

Change

March 19

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,680,000

3,738,000

-58,000

3,732,000

4,710,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

3,919,184

4,085,667

-166,483

4,131,066

4,987,473

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,728,750

3,749,500

-20,750

3,769,750

4,696,000

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

2.9

3.0%

-0.1

3.0%

3.7%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

3.1

3.3%

-0.2

3.3%

3.9%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

April 2

March 26

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

1,642

1,487

+155

1,277

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,187

2,306

-119

3,159

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

March 26

March 19

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

4,074,425

4,118,230

-43,805

5,034,884

Federal Employees (UCFE)

37,812

36,787

+1,025

21,313

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

38,182

38,663

-481

34,875

EUC 20083

3,550,786

3,563,031

-12,245

5,852,143

Extended Benefits4

760,402

708,079

+52,323

152,164

State Additional Benefits 5

8,650

7,778

+872

4,687

STC / Workshare 6

47,288

51,887

-4,599

80,795

TOTAL

8,517,545

8,524,455

-6,910

11,180,861

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: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/persons.xls4 - 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 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 04/02/2011

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-8,095

A shorter workweek, March 31, 2011, was Cesar Chavez state holiday.

TX

-2,913

Fewer layoffs in the transportation, service, and manufacturing industries.

FL

-1,731

Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

IL

+1,013

Layoffs in the construction, transportation, and warehousing industries.

OH

+1,094

Layoffs in the construction and transportation industries.

PA

+1,606

Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and transportation industries.

MA

+2,575

State attributed the increase to administrative factors.

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/

Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
April 14, 2011