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News Release

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending April 25, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 631,000, a decrease of 14,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 645,000. The 4-week moving average was 637,250, a decrease of 10,750 from the previous week's revised average of 648,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.7 percent for the week ending April 18, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.6 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending April 18 was 6,271,000, an increase of 133,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 6,138,000. The 4-week moving average was 6,076,000, an increase of 131,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 5,944,500.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 4.894 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 576,605 in the week ending April 25, a decrease of 19,959 from the previous week. There were 337,858 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.7 percent during the week ending April 18, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 6,277,186, a decrease of 130,405 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.2 percent and the volume was 2,987,428.

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin during the week ending April 11.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,052 in the week ending April 18, a decrease of 169 from the prior week. There were 1,752 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 95 from the preceding week.

There were 17,589 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 11, an increase of 486 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 28,594, an increase of 56 from the prior week.

States reported 2,364,774 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending April 11, an increase of 216,533 from the prior week. EUC weekly claims include both first and second tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending April 11 were in Michigan (8.0 percent), Oregon (7.7), Pennsylvania (6.7), Wisconsin (6.7), Idaho (6.6), Nevada (6.3), Vermont (6.0), Rhode Island (5.9), Alaska (5.8), Illinois (5.7), and New Jersey (5.7).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending April 18 were in California (+8,535), New York (+6,959), Connecticut (+3,086), Georgia (+3,056), and North Carolina (+2,983), while the largest decreases were in Pennsylvania (-7,799), Florida (-7,208), Illinois (-3,803), Ohio (-3,310), and Washington (-2,432).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

April 25

April 18

Change

April 11

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

631,000

645,000

-14,000

613,000

378,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

576,605

596,564

-19,959

610,522

337,858

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

637,250

648,000

-10,750

651,000

364,500

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

April 18

April 11

Change

April 4

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

6,271,000

6,138,000

+133,000

6,045,000

3,024,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

6,277,186

6,407,591

-130,405

6,329,420

2,987,428

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

6,076,000

5,944,500

+131,500

5,801,750

2,963,000

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

4.7%

4.6%

+0.1

4.5%

2.3%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

4.7%

4.8%

-0.1

4.7%

2.2%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

April 18

April 11

Change

Year

Federal Employees

1,052

1,221

-169

912

Newly Discharged Veterans

1,752

1,847

-95

1,417

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

April 11

April 4

Change

Year

Federal Employees

17,589

17,103

+486

13,338

Newly Discharged Veterans

28,594

28,538

+56

21,151

Railroad Retirement Board

9,000

9,000

0

2,000

Extended Benefits

22,536

19,089

+3,447

0

EUC 20083

2,364,774

2,148,241

+216,533

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 04/18/2009

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

PA

-7,799

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

FL

-7,208

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

IL

-3,803

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

OH

-3,310

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

WA

-2,432

No comment.

MD

-2,375

No comment.

TX

-2,318

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

WI

-2,263

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

AR

-2,003

No comment.

IN

-1,727

Fewer layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.

NJ

-1,620

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

MO

-1,434

Fewer layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.

KS

-1,422

No comment.

AZ

-1,351

No comment.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

RI

+1,019

Layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.

OR

+1,177

Layoffs in the construction, trade, public administration, and manufacturing industries.

LA

+1,467

No comment.

SC

+2,820

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

NC

+2,983

Layoffs in the textile, electrical equipment, electronic equipment, and transportation equipment industries.

GA

+3,056

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

CT

+3,086

No comment.

NY

+6,959

Layoffs in the service, transportation, warehousing, and public administration industries.

CA

+8,535

Layoffs in the construction and service industries.

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

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Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
April 30, 2009