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News Release

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending April 18, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 640,000, an increase of 27,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 613,000. The 4-week moving average was 646,750, a decrease of 4,250 from the previous week's unrevised average of 651,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.6 percent for the week ending April 11, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.5 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending April 11 was 6,137,000, an increase of 93,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 6,044,000. The 4-week moving average was 5,944,000, an increase of 142,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 5,801,500.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 4.837 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 591,952 in the week ending April 18, a decrease of 18,601 from the previous week. There were 328,346 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.8 percent during the week ending April 11, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 6,406,964, an increase of 78,746 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.3 percent and the volume was 3,054,853.

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, California, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin during the week ending April 4.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,221 in the week ending April 11, an increase of 147 from the prior week. There were 1,847 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 140 from the preceding week.

There were 17,103 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 4, a decrease of 1,494 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 28,532, a decrease of 220 from the prior week.

States reported 2,264,774 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending April 4, an increase of 116,533 from the prior week. EUC weekly claims include both first and second tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending April 4 were in Oregon (7.7 percent), Michigan (7.6), Idaho (6.8), Wisconsin (6.7), Puerto Rico (6.6), Pennsylvania (6.3), Nevada (6.1), Rhode Island (6.0), Vermont (5.9), and Montana (5.8).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending April 11 were in Florida (+9,303), Pennsylvania (+7,538), California (+6,404), Wisconsin (+3,611), and New York (+3,581), while the largest decreases were in Michigan (-12,566), North Carolina (-6,428), Missouri (-5,575), Kentucky (-5,313), and Oregon (-4,580).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

April 18

April 11

Change

April 4

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

640,000

613,000

+27,000

660,000

353,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

591,952

610,553

-18,601

623,630

328,346

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

646,750

651,000

-4,250

658,750

367,250

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

April 11

April 4

Change

March 28

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

6,137,000

6,044,000

+93,000

5,850,000

2,929,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

6,406,964

6,328,218

+78,746

6,452,056

3,054,853

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

5,944,000

5,801,500

+142,500

5,650,000

2,938,500

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

4.6%

4.5%

+0.1

4.4%

2.2%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

4.8%

4.7%

+0.1

4.8%

2.3%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

April 11

April 4

Change

Year

Federal Employees

1,221

1,074

+147

1,023

Newly Discharged Veterans

1,847

1,707

+140

1,487

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

April 4

March 28

Change

Year

Federal Employees

17,103

18,597

-1,494

12,601

Newly Discharged Veterans

28,532

28,752

-220

21,484

Railroad Retirement Board

9,000

9,000

0

3,000

Extended Benefits

19,089

14,583

+4,506

0

EUC 20083

2,264,774

2,148,241

+116,533

0

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 133,683,433 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include both first and second tier activity.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 04/11/2009

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

MI

-12,566

Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.

NC

-6,428

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

MO

-5,575

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

KY

-5,313

No comment.

OR

-4,580

No comment.

GA

-3,598

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

TN

-3,454

Fewer layoffs in the trade and manufacturing industries.

TX

-2,706

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

VA

-2,673

No comment.

PR

-2,417

No comment.

LA

-1,929

No comment.

IL

-1,746

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

WA

-1,317

No comment.

AL

-1,264

Fewer layoffs in the transportation equipment, primary metals, and wood products industries.

RI

-1,233

Fewer layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.

MN

-1,213

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

NV

+1,197

Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

WV

+1,342

No comment.

AK

+1,358

No comment.

AZ

+1,438

No comment.

MD

+1,836

No comment.

KS

+1,844

No comment.

OH

+1,935

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

NJ

+3,285

Increase is seasonal, school closings related.

NY

+3,581

Layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.

WI

+3,611

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

CA

+6,404

Return to a five day workweek, as well as layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.

PA

+7,538

Layoffs in the construction, service, and transportation industries.

FL

+9,303

Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing 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
April 23, 2009