Please note: As of January 20, 2021, information in some news releases may be out of date or not reflect current policies.
News Release
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending April 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 388,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 389,000. The 4-week moving average was 381,750, an increase of 6,250 from the previous week's revised average of 375,500.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending April 14, unchanged from the prior week.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending April 14 was 3,315,000, an increase of 3,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,312,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,311,750, a decrease of 9,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,321,500.
UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 366,743 in the week ending April 21, a decrease of 3,484 from the previous week. There were 387,867 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent during the week ending April 14, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,410,877, a decrease of 36,897 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.0 percent and the volume was 3,783,787.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending April 7 was 6,677,959, a decrease of 87,160 from the previous week.
Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending April 7.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,189 in the week ending April 14, a decrease of 107 from the prior week. There were 2,345 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 219 from the preceding week.
There were 21,346 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 7, a decrease of 44 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 35,516, a decrease of 4,802 from the prior week.
States reported 2,729,204 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending April 7, a decrease of 45,930 from the prior week. There were 3,448,260 claimants in the comparable week in 2011. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending April 7 were in Alaska (5.3), Oregon (4.0), Pennsylvania (3.9), California (3.8), New Jersey (3.8), Puerto Rico (3.8), Wisconsin (3.7), Connecticut (3.6), Illinois ( 3.5), and Rhode Island (3.5).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending April 14 were in New York (+3,352), California (+3,060), Georgia (+2,179), Florida (+2,048), and North Carolina (+1,923), while the largest decreases were in Washington (-5,700), Pennsylvania (-5,362), Oregon (-3,649), Indiana (-3,341) and Maryland (-2,865).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
WEEK ENDING | Advance April 21 | April 14 | Change | April 7 | Prior Year1 |
|---|
Initial Claims (SA) | 388,000 | 389,000 | -1,000 | 388,000 | 426,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Initial Claims (NSA) | 366,743 | 370,227 | -3,484 | 390,064 | 387,867 |
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) | 381,750 | 375,500 | +6,250 | 369,250 | 414,000 |
WEEK ENDING | Advance April 14 | April 7 | Change | March 31 | Prior Year1 |
|---|
Ins. Unemployment (SA) | 3,315,000 | 3,312,000 | +3,000 | 3,271,000 | 3,702,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) | 3,410,877 | 3,447,774 | -36,897 | 3,470,104 | 3,783,787 |
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) | 3,311,750 | 3,321,500 | -9,750 | 3,339,250 | 3,736,500 |
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 | 2.6% | 2.6% | 0.0 | 2.6% | 2.9% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 | 2.7% | 2.7% | 0.0 | 2.7% | 3.0% |
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING | April 14 | April 7 | Change | Prior Year1 |
|---|
Federal Employees | 1,189 | 1,296 | -107 | 1,735 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Newly Discharged Veterans | 2,345 | 2,564 | -219 | 2,317 |
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING | April 7 | March 31 | Change | Prior Year1 |
Regular State | 3,438,362 | 3,460,953 | -22,591 | 3,879,548 |
Federal Employees (UCFE) | 21,346 | 21,390 | -44 | 34,526 |
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) | 35,516 | 40,318 | -4,802 | 37,001 |
EUC 20083 | 2,729,204 | 2,775,134 | -45,930 | 3,448,260 |
Extended Benefits4 | 412,411 | 426,673 | -14,262 | 716,314 |
State Additional Benefits 5 | 4,483 | 4,785 | -302 | 6,406 |
STC / Workshare 6 | 36,637 | 35,866 | +771 | 55,411 |
TOTAL | 6,677,959 | 6,765,119 | -87,160 | 8,177,466 |
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 127,048,587 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 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 04/14/2012
STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
State | Change |
| State Supplied Comment |
WA | -5,700 |
| No comment. |
PA | -5,362 |
| Fewer layoffs in the transportation, construction, entertainment, lodging, food service, professional, and science and technology industries. |
OR | -3,649 |
| No comment. |
IN | -3,341 |
| Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry. |
MD | -2,865 |
| No comment. |
MI | -2,348 |
| Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry. |
IL | -1,991 |
| No comment. |
TX | -1,985 |
| No comment. |
MO | -1,185 |
| Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing, administrative service, and retail industries. |
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
State | Change |
| State Supplied Comment |
NY | +3,352 |
| Layoffs in the transportation, food service, and educational industries. |
CA | +3,060 |
| Layoffs in the service industry. |
GA | +2,179 |
| Layoffs in the manufacturing, construction, and wholesale trade industries. |
FL | +2,048 |
| Layoffs in the agriculture, construction, services, trade, and manufacturing industries. |
NC | +1,923 |
| Layoffs in non-classifiable establishments and the textile, construction, business, and amusement and recreation industries. |
CT | +1,312 |
| No comment. |
NJ | +1,145 |
| Layoffs in the transportation and warehousing, accommodation and food service, administrative, government, and health care and social assistance 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/