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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending May 8, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 444,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 448,000. The 4-week moving average was 450,500, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week's revised average of 459,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.6 percent for the week ending May 1, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.6 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 1 was 4,627,000, an increase of 12,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,615,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,639,500, a decrease of 14,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,654,250.

The fiscal year-to-date average of seasonally adjusted weekly insured unemployment, which corresponds to the appropriated AWIU trigger, was 5.174 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 407,267 in the week ending May 8, an increase of 11,132 from the previous week. There were 570,412 initial claims in the comparable week in 2009.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5 percent during the week ending May 1, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,515,632, a decrease of 140,708 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 4.6 percent and the volume was 6,191,149.

Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending April 24.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,300 in the week ending May 1, an increase of 86 from the prior week. There were 2,289 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 97 from the preceding week.

There were 18,944 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 24, a decrease of 267 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 36,699, a decrease of 500 from the prior week.

States reported 5,137,385 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending April 24, a decrease of 216,874 from the prior week. There were 2,156,516 claimants in the comparable week in 2009. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending April 24 were in Alaska (6.6 percent), Puerto Rico (6.3), Oregon (5.8), Nevada (5.1), California (4.9), Pennsylvania (4.8), Wisconsin (4.8), Montana (4.7), North Carolina (4.6), Rhode Island (4.6), Connecticut (4.5), and Idaho (4.5).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 1 were in New York (+4,021), Kentucky (+1,015), Pennsylvania (+773), Illinois (+611), and Tennessee (+609), while the largest decreases were in California (-18,546), Massachusetts (-3,628), Indiana (-3,242), Michigan (-1,748), and Florida (-1,291).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

May 8

May 1

Change

April 24

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

444,000

448,000

-4,000

451,000

625,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

407,267

396,135

+11,132

426,412

570,412

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

450,500

459,500

-9,000

463,250

621,250

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

May 1

April 24

Change

April 17

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

4,627,000

4,615,000

+12,000

4,653,000

6,389,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

4,515,632

4,656,340

-140,708

4,788,288

6,191,149

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

4,639,500

4,654,250

-14,750

4,641,000

6,218,000

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.6%

3.6%

0.0

3.6%

4.8%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

3.5%

3.6%

-0.1

3.7%

4.6%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

May 1

April 24

Change

Year

Federal Employees

1,300

1,214

+86

1,220

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,289

2,386

-97

1,684

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

April 24

April 17

Change

Year

Federal Employees

18,944

19,211

-267

16,420

Newly Discharged Veterans

36,699

37,199

-500

28,464

Railroad Retirement Board

6,000

6,000

0

10,000

Extended Benefits

218,812

201,487

+17,325

221,886

EUC 20083

5,137,385

5,354,259

-216,874

2,156,516

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 128,298,468 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 05/01/2010

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-18,546

Fewer layoffs in the service industry.

MA

-3,628

No comment.

IN

-3,242

No comment.

MI

-1,748

No comment.

FL

-1,291

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

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

KY

+1,015

No comment.

NY

+4,021

Layoffs in the transportation, service, and manufacturing industries.

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

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Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
May 13, 2010