Please note: As of January 20, 2021, information in some news releases may be out of date or not reflect current policies.

News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending April 16, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 403,000, a decrease of 13,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 416,000. The 4-week moving average was 399,000, an increase of 2,250 from the previous week's revised average of 396,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending April 9, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending April 9 was 3,695,000, a decrease of 7,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,702,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,716,750, a decrease of 17,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,734,250.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 380,668 in the week ending April 16, a decrease of 67,357 from the previous week. There were 436,814 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.1 percent during the week ending April 9, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,879,433, a decrease of 63,610 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.8 percent and the volume was 4,931,238.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending April 2 was 8,299,810.

Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, during the week ending April 2.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,147 in the week ending April 9, an increase of 505 from the prior week. There were 2,507 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 320 from the preceding week.

There were 34,050 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 2, a decrease of 3,762 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 37,701, a decrease of 481 from the prior week.

States reported 3,527,093 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending April 2, a decrease of 23,693 from the prior week. There were 5,344,082 claimants in the comparable week in 2010. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending April 2 were in Alaska (6.0 percent), Puerto Rico (5.0), Idaho (4.4), Oregon (4.4), Pennsylvania (4.3), Wisconsin (4.3), New Jersey (4.2), Rhode Island (4.2), California (4.1), Connecticut (4.1), and Montana (4.1).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending April 9 were in California (+25,646), North Carolina (+6,041), Kentucky (+5,202), Texas (+5,108), and Florida (+4,299), while the largest decreases were in Minnesota (-403), Iowa (-389), Maine (-55), and Wyoming (-9).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance April 16

April 9

Change

April 2

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

403,000

416,000

-13,000

385,000

469,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

380,668

448,025

-67,357

353,817

436,814

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

399,000

396,750

+2,250

390,250

467,500

WEEK ENDING

Advance April 9

April 2

Change

March 26

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,695,000

3,702,000

-7,000

3,738,000

4,687,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

3,879,433

3,943,043

-63,610

4,085,667

4,931,238

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,716,750

3,734,250

-17,500

3,749,500

4,687,750

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

2.9%

2.9%

0.0

3.0%

3.7%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

3.1%

3.1%

0.0

3.3%

3.8%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

April 9

April 2

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

2,147

1,642

+505

1,390

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,507

2,187

+320

2,439

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

April 2

March 26

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

3,930,215

4,074,425

-144,210

4,966,592

Federal Employees (UCFE)

34,050

37,812

-3,762

20,181

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

37,701

38,182

-481

36,654

EUC 20083

3,527,093

3,550,786

-23,693

5,344,082

Extended Benefits4

713,881

760,402

-46,521

188,765

State Additional Benefits 5

6,656

8,650

-1,994

9,224

STC / Workshare 6

50,214

47,288

+2,926

80,245

TOTAL

8,299,810

8,517,545

-217,735

10,645,743

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 125,572,661 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity. Tier-specific EUC data can be found here: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/persons.xls4 - Information on the EB program can be found here: http://www.ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/extenben.asp 5 - Some states maintain additional benefit programs for those claimants who exhaust regular, extended and emergency benefits. Information on states that participate and the extent of benefits can be found starting on page 4-5 of this link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf 6 - Information on STC/Worksharing can be found starting on page 4-9 of the following link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 04/09/2011

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

None

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

UT

+1,069

Start of a new quarter of wage credits for benefit purposes.

AL

+1,480

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

AK

+1,710

No comment.

MO

+1,852

Layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.

MD

+2,493

No comment.

WA

+2,810

Layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.

OH

+3,009

Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.

NY

+3,124

Layoffs in the trade and service industries.

IN

+3,315

Start of a new quarter of wage credits for benefit purposes, as well as layoffs in the automobile industry.

MI

+3,342

No comment.

AZ

+3,362

Start of a new quarter of wage credits for benefit purposes.

PA

+3,418

Start of a new quarter of wage credits for benefit purposes, as well as layoffs in the construction and service industries.

GA

+4,278

Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.

FL

+4,299

Start of a new quarter of wage credits for benefit purposes, as well as layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.

TX

+5,108

Start of a new quarter of wage credits for benefit purposes, as well as layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

KY

+5,202

No comment.

NC

+6,041

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

CA

+25,646

Return to a five day workweek, as well as layoffs in the service industry.

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 21, 2011