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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATAIn the week ending May 7, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 434,000, a decrease of 44,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 478,000. The 4-week moving average was 436,750, an increase of 4,500 from the previous week's revised average of 432,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent for the week ending April 30, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending April 30 was 3,756,000, an increase of 5,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,751,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,718,500, an increase of 13,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,705,250.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 394,583 in the week ending May 7, a decrease of 21,391 from the previous week. There were 414,327 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent during the week ending April 30, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,687,945, a decrease of 81,865 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.5 percent and the volume was 4,549,602.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending April 23 was 7,983,672, a decrease of 31,247 from the previous week.

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 April 23.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,617 in the week ending April 30, an increase of 204 from the prior week. There were 2,280 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 204 from the preceding week.

There were 29,466 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 23, a decrease of 311 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 36,756, a decrease of 757 from the prior week.

States reported 3,415,581 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending April 23, a decrease of 31,961 from the prior week. There were 5,190,820 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 April 23 were in Alaska (5.7 percent), Oregon (4.3), Pennsylvania (4.2), Connecticut (4.1), Rhode Island (4.1), Wisconsin (4.1), California (4.0), New Jersey (4.0), Idaho (3.8), and Nevada (3.8).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending April 30 were in New York (+24,431), Michigan (+3,948), Wisconsin (+3,746), North Carolina (+2,749), and Ohio (+2,319), while the largest decreases were in New Jersey (-4,004), California (-3,145), Massachusetts (-2,966), Puerto Rico(-2,713), and Florida (-2,156).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance May 7

April 30

Change

April 23

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

434,000

478,000

-44,000

431,000

455,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

394,583

415,974

-21,391

387,867

414,327

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

436,750

432,250

+4,500

409,000

460,250

WEEK ENDING

Advance April 30

April 23

Change

April 16

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,756,000

3,751,000

+5,000

3,659,000

4,666,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

3,687,945

3,769,810

-81,865

3,783,787

4,549,602

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,718,500

3,705,250

+13,250

3,702,000

4,669,000

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.0%

3.0%

0.0

2.9%

3.6%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

2.9%

3.0%

-0.1

3.0%

3.5%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

April 30

April 23

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

1,617

1,413

+204

1,322

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,280

2,076

+204

2,357

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

April 23

April 16

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

3,758,293

3,771,511

-13,218

4,652,491

Federal Employees (UCFE)

29,466

29,777

-311

19,226

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

36,756

37,513

-757

36,828

EUC 20083

3,415,581

3,447,542

-31,961

5,190,820

Extended Benefits4

689,009

674,171

+14,838

268,186

State Additional Benefits 5

6,541

6,552

-11

9,892

STC / Workshare 6

48,026

47,853

+173

74,233

TOTAL

7,983,672

8,014,919

-31,247

10,251,676

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 04/30/2011

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

NJ

-4,004

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

CA

-3,145

No comment.

MA

-2,966

Fewer layoffs in the transportation and service industries.

PR

-2,713

No comment.

FL

-2,156

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

MD

-1,877

No comment.

RI

-1,605

Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.

PA

-1,330

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

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

IN

+1,237

Layoffs in the automobile industry.

KY

+1,244

No comment.

IL

+1,337

Layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.

CT

+1,436

Layoffs in the trade and service industries.

TN

+1,932

Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

OR

+2,176

No comment.

OH

+2,319

Layoffs in the automobile and construction industries.

NC

+2,749

Layoffs in the construction, service, textile, electrical equipment, and electronics equipment industries.

WI

+3,746

No comment.

MI

+3,948

No comment.

NY

+24,431

Layoffs in the transportation and service 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/

Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
May 12, 2011