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News Release

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending May 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 637,000, an increase of 32,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 605,000. The 4-week moving average was 630,500, an increase of 6,000 from the previous week's revised average of 624,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.9 percent for the week ending May 2, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.8 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 2 was 6,560,000, an increase of 202,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 6,358,000. The 4-week moving average was 6,337,250, an increase of 128,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 6,208,500.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.011 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 565,395 in the week ending May 9, an increase of 27,856 from the previous week. There were 325,480 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.6 percent during the week ending May 2, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 6,166,785, a decrease of 95,837 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.1 percent and the volume was 2,845,952.

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, 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 25.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,218 in the week ending May 2, an increase of 104 from the prior week. There were 1,684 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 3 from the preceding week.

There were 16,542 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 25, a decrease of 63 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 28,528, a decrease of 768 from the prior week.

States reported 2,156,515 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending April 25, a decrease of 122,963 from the prior week. EUC weekly claims include both first and second tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending April 25 were in Michigan (7.8 percent), Oregon (7.5), Pennsylvania (6.5), Wisconsin (6.4), Nevada (6.3), Idaho (6.1), Puerto Rico (5.9), Vermont (5.8), Alaska (5.7), and Rhode Island (5.7).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 2 were in Illinois (+2,052), Kansas (+2,025), Puerto Rico (+1,781), Indiana (+1,051), and Ohio (+1,013), while the largest decreases were in New York (-13,386), Michigan (-10,952), North Carolina (-8,988), Massachusetts (-3,705), and Connecticut (-2,802).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

May 9

May 2

Change

April 25

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

637,000

605,000

+32,000

635,000

375,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

565,395

537,539

+27,856

580,377

325,480

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

630,500

624,500

+6,000

638,250

369,500

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

May 2

April 25

Change

April 18

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

6,560,000

6,358,000

+202,000

6,293,000

3,063,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

6,166,785

6,262,622

-95,837

6,299,278

2,845,952

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

6,337,250

6,208,500

+128,750

6,081,500

3,006,750

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

4.9%

4.8%

+0.1

4.7%

2.3%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

4.6%

4.7%

-0.1

4.7%

2.1%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

May 2

April 25

Change

Year

Federal Employees

1,218

1,114

+104

926

Newly Discharged Veterans

1,684

1,681

+3

1,386

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

April 25

April 18

Change

Year

Federal Employees

16,542

16,605

-63

12,293

Newly Discharged Veterans

28,528

29,296

-768

21,021

Railroad Retirement Board

10,000

10,000

0

2,000

Extended Benefits

84,655

40,076

+44,579

0

EUC 20083

2,156,515

2,279,478

-122,963

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 05/02/2009

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

NY

-13,386

Fewer layoffs in the transportation and service industries.

MI

-10,952

Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.

NC

-8,988

Fewer layoffs in the primary metals, fabricated metals, lumber/wood, industrial machinery, textile, transportation equipment, construction, and trade industries.

MA

-3,705

No comment.

CT

-2,802

Fewer layoffs in the transportation and service industries.

GA

-2,483

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

VA

-1,729

Fewer layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.

AL

-1,664

Fewer layoffs in the textile and wood products industries.

CA

-1,499

No comment.

KY

-1,270

No comment.

SC

-1,270

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

OH

+1,013

No comment.

IN

+1,051

Layoffs in the automobile industry.

PR

+1,781

No comment.

KS

+2,025

Layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.

IL

+2,052

Layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

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Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
May 14, 2009