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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending June 2, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 377,000, a decrease of 12,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 389,000. The 4-week moving average was 377,750, an increase of 1,750 from the previous week's revised average of 376,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending May 26, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 26 was 3,293,000, an increase of 34,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,259,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,279,500, an increase of 11,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,268,000.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 321,884 in the week ending June 2, a decrease of 24,376 from the previous week. There were 366,816 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent during the week ending May 26, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,039,077, a decrease of 21,271 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.7 percent and the volume was 3,426,345.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending May 19 was 5,970,729, a decrease of 167,133 from the previous week.

Extended benefits were available in the District of Columbia, Idaho, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and West Virginia during the week ending May 19.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,459 in the week ending May 26, an increase of 260 from the prior week. There were 2,304 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 228 from the preceding week.

There were 16,188 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending May 19, an increase of 136 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 38,492, a decrease of 661 from the prior week.

States reported 2,572,558 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending May 19, a decrease of 45,808 from the prior week. There were 3,381,090 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 May 19 were in Alaska (4.6), Puerto Rico (3.8), Pennsylvania (3.5), California (3.4), New Jersey (3.3), Connecticut (3.2), Oregon (3.2), Illinois (3.0), Nevada (3.0), Rhode Island (2.9), and Virgin Islands (2.9).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 26 were in Georgia (+2,078), Tennessee (+1,983), Missouri (+1,898), Illinois (+1,798), and New York (+1,578), while the largest decreases were in Texas (-376), North Carolina (-371), California (-344), Pennsylvania (-291), and Virginia (-275).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance June 2

May 26

Change

May 19

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

377,000

389,000

-12,000

373,000

425,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

321,884

346,260

-24,376

330,431

366,816

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

377,750

376,000

+1,750

370,750

422,750

WEEK ENDING

Advance May 26

May 19

Change

May 12

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,293,000

3,259,000

+34,000

3,278,000

3,716,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

3,039,077

3,060,348

-21,271

3,124,384

3,426,345

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,279,500

3,268,000

+11,500

3,275,750

3,737,750

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

2.6%

2.6%

0.0

2.6%

3.0%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

2.4%

2.4%

0.0

2.5%

2.7%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

May 26

May 19

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

1,459

1,199

+260

2,142

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,304

2,532

-228

2,316

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

May 19

May 12

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

3,051,887

3,117,110

-65,223

3,498,800

Federal Employees (UCFE)

16,188

16,052

+136

23,335

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

38,492

39,153

-661

36,261

EUC 20083

2,572,558

2,618,366

-45,808

3,381,090

Extended Benefits4

253,605

312,434

-58,829

618,459

State Additional Benefits 5

5,771

5,286

+485

6,442

STC / Workshare 6

32,228

29,461

+2,767

46,104

TOTAL

5,970,729

6,137,862

-167,133

7,610,491

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 05/26/2012

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

None

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

GA

+2,078

Layoffs in the manufacturing, healthcare and social assistance, educational service, and administrative and support service industries.

TN

+1,983

Layoffs in the administrative, transportation, food service, educational service, and social assistance industries.

MO

+1,898

Layoffs in the accommodation and food service, educational service, and transportation and warehousing industries.

IL

+1,798

Layoffs in the construction, accommodation and food service, and transportation and warehousing industries.

NY

+1,578

Layoffs in the food service, manufacturing, and retail 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
June 7, 2012