SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending May 14, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 409,000, a decrease of 29,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 438,000. The 4-week moving average was 439,000, an increase of 1,250 from the previous week's revised average of 437,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent for the week ending May 7, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 7 was 3,711,000, a decrease of 81,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,792,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,728,250, an increase of 750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,727,500.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 357,872 in the week ending May 14, a decrease of 39,865 from the previous week. There were 414,572 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent during the week ending May 7, a decrease of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,562,660, a decrease of 160,611 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.5 percent and the volume was 4,471,786.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending April 30 was 7,936,548, a decrease of 47,124 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 30.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,449 in the week ending May 7, a decrease of 168 from the prior week. There were 2,470 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 190 from the preceding week.

There were 26,495 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 30, a decrease of 2,971 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 37,186, an increase of 430 from the prior week.

States reported 3,468,979 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending April 30, an increase of 53,398 from the prior week. There were 5,095,265 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 30 were in Alaska (5.8 percent), Puerto Rico (5.6), Oregon (4.3), Pennsylvania (4.1), California (4.0), New Jersey (3.9), Wisconsin (3.9), Nevada (3.7), Connecticut (3.7), Idaho (3.6), and Rhode Island (3.6).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 7 were in Alabama (+5,767), California (+4,015), Puerto Rico (+3,124), Michigan (+3,122), and Mississippi (+1,666), while the largest decreases were in New York (-23,445), Wisconsin (-3,556), Ohio (-3,014), Connecticut (-2,693), and New Jersey (-1,599).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING	Advance May 14	May 7	Change	April 30	Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)	409,000	438,000	-29,000	478,000	477,000
Initial Claims (NSA)	357,872	397,737	-39,865	415,974	414,572
4-Wk Moving Average (SA)	439,000	437,750	+1,250	432,250	462,250

WEEK ENDING	Advance May 7	April 30	Change	April 23	Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)	3,711,000	3,792,000	-81,000	3,751,000	4,648,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA)	3,562,660	3,732,271	-160,611	3,769,810	4,471,786
4-Wk Moving Average (SA)	3,728,250	3,727,500	+750	3,705,250	4,659,250

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2	3.0%	3.0%	0.0	3.0%	3.6%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2	2.8%	3.0%	-0.2	3.0%	3.5%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING	May 7	April 30	Change	Prior Year1

Federal Employees	1,449	1,617	-168	1,339
Newly Discharged Veterans	2,470	2,280	190	2,532

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

April 30

April 23

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State	3,711,863	3,758,293	-46,430	4,530,269
Federal Employees (UCFE)	26,495	29,466	-2,971	17,388
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)	37,186	36,756	430	35,046
EUC 20083	3,468,979	3,415,581	53,398	5,095,265
Extended Benefits4	640,042	689,009	-48,967	291,280
State Additional Benefits 5	6,814	6,541	273	9,853
STC / Workshare 6	45,169	48,026	-2,857	77,811
TOTAL	7,936,548	7,983,672	-47,124	10,056,912

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 05/07/2011

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State	Change		State Supplied Comment
NY	-23,445		Fewer layoffs in the service and construction industries.
WI	-3,556		No comment.
OH	-3,014		No comment.
CT	-2,693		No comment.
NJ	-1,599		Fewer layoffs in the trade, construction, service, transportation, and warehousing industries.
IN	-1,199		No comment.
IL	-1,189		Fewer layoffs in the construction, manufacturing, and service industries.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State	Change		State Supplied Comment
NC	+1,192		Layoffs in the construction, service, leather goods, and rubber/ plastics industries.
WA	+1,198		Layoffs in the manufacturing and construction industries.
MS	+1,666		Layoffs in the service industry.
MI	+3,122		Layoffs in the automobile and construction industries.
PR	+3,124		No comment.
CA	+4,015		Layoffs in the service industry.
AL	+5,767		The figure reflected impact of storms and tornadoes of the previous week. Also, layoffs in the textile, apparel, 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/