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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending May 15, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 471,000, an increase of 25,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 446,000. The 4-week moving average was 453,500, an increase of 3,000 from the previous week's unrevised average of 450,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.6 percent for the week ending May 8, 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 8 was 4,625,000, a decrease of 40,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,665,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,642,500, a decrease of 9,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,652,000.

The fiscal year-to-date average of seasonally adjusted weekly insured unemployment, which corresponds to the appropriated AWIU trigger, was 5.146 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 407,940 in the week ending May 15, a decrease of 1,819 from the previous week. There were 540,925 initial claims in the comparable week in 2009.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5 percent during the week ending May 8, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,439,549, a decrease of 113,074 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 4.6 percent and the volume was 6,203,661.

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 May 1.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,318 in the week ending May 8, an increase of 18 from the prior week. There were 2,489 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 176 from the preceding week.

There were 17,472 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending May 1, a decrease of 1,722 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 35,054, a decrease of 1,737 from the prior week.

States reported 5,101,246 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending May 1, a decrease of 94,788 from the prior week. There were 2,268,367 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 May 1 were in Alaska (6.4 percent), Puerto Rico (6.0), Oregon (5.6), Nevada (5.0), California (4.9), Pennsylvania (4.6), Wisconsin (4.6), Montana (4.5), Idaho (4.4), North Carolina (4.4), and Washington (4.4).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 8 were in California (+8,351), Michigan (+3,175), New Jersey (+2,362), Georgia (+2,333), and Puerto Rico (+1,362), while the largest decreases were in New York (-3,144), Kentucky (-2,193), Connecticut (-1,512), Missouri (-1,031), and New Hampshire (-607).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

May 15

May 8

Change

May 1

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

471,000

446,000

+25,000

446,000

625,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

407,940

409,759

-1,819

394,640

540,925

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

453,500

450,500

+3,000

459,000

619,250

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

May 8

May 1

Change

April 24

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

4,625,000

4,665,000

-40,000

4,627,000

6,449,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

4,439,549

4,552,623

-113,074

4,668,932

6,203,661

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

4,642,500

4,652,000

-9,500

4,657,250

6,318,000

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.6%

3.6%

0.0

3.6%

4.8%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

3.5%

3.5%

0.0

3.6%

4.6%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

May 8

May 1

Change

Year

Federal Employees

1,318

1,300

+18

1,174

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,489

2,313

+176

1,751

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

May 1

April 24

Change

Year

Federal Employees

17,472

19,194

-1,722

15,866

Newly Discharged Veterans

35,054

36,791

-1,737

28,521

Railroad Retirement Board

6,000

6,000

0

10,000

Extended Benefits

240,260

218,841

+21,419

173,527

EUC 20083

5,101,246

5,196,034

-94,788

2,268,367

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 05/08/2010

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

NY

-3,144

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

KY

-2,193

No comment.

CT

-1,512

No comment.

MO

-1,031

Fewer layoffs in the construction and trade industries.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

WA

+1,007

Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.

FL

+1,123

Layoffs in the trade and manufacturing industries.

PR

+1,362

No comment.

GA

+2,333

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

NJ

+2,362

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

MI

+3,175

Layoffs in the automobile industry.

CA

+8,351

Layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

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Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
May 20, 2010