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News Release

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending April 14, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 386,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 388,000. The 4-week moving average was 374,750, an increase of 5,500 from the previous week's revised average of 369,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending April 7, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.6 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending April 7 was 3,297,000, an increase of 26,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,271,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,317,750, a decrease of 21,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,339,250.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 367,550 in the week ending April 14, a decrease of 22,916 from the previous week. There were 381,834 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent during the week ending April 7, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.7 percent. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,432,102, a decrease of 37,981 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.1 percent and the volume was 3,893,218.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending March 31 was 6,765,080, a decrease of 187,807 from the previous week.

Extended benefits were available in Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending March 31.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,295 in the week ending April 7, an increase of 136 from the prior week. There were 2,564 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 287 from the preceding week.

There were 21,384 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 31, a decrease of 1,684 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 40,306, a decrease of 1,254 from the prior week.

States reported 2,775,134 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending March 31, a decrease of 19,419 from the prior week. There were 3,527,093 claimants in the comparable week in 2011. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending March 31 were in Alaska (5.6), Oregon (4.3), Puerto Rico (4.3), California (3.8), New Jersey (3.8), Pennsylvania (3.8), Rhode Island (3.8), Idaho (3.7), Connecticut (3.6), Montana (3.6), and Wisconsin (3.6).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending April 7 were in Pennsylvania (+7,483), California (+6,587), Washington (+5,985), New Jersey (+5,735), and Indiana (+4,984), while the largest decreases were in Tennessee (-670), Vermont (-78), and North Dakota (-49).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance April 14

April 7

Change

March 31

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

386,000

388,000

-2,000

362,000

414,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

367,550

390,466

-22,916

315,623

381,834

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

374,750

369,250

+5,500

363,000

407,750

WEEK ENDING

Advance April 7

March 31

Change

March 24

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,297,000

3,271,000

+26,000

3,349,000

3,736,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

3,432,102

3,470,083

-37,981

3,636,706

3,893,218

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,317,750

3,339,250

-21,500

3,370,000

3,753,250

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

2.6%

2.6%

0.0

2.6%

3.0%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

2.7%

2.7%

0.0

2.9%

3.1%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

April 7

March 31

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

1,295

1,159

+136

2,147

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,564

2,277

+287

2,508

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

March 31

March 24

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

3,460,932

3,627,987

-167,055

3,930,763

Federal Employees (UCFE)

21,384

23,068

-1,684

34,060

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

40,306

41,560

-1,254

37,705

EUC 20083

2,775,134

2,794,553

-19,419

3,527,093

Extended Benefits4

426,673

426,907

-234

713,881

State Additional Benefits 5

4,785

4,780

+5

6,656

STC / Workshare 6

35,866

34,032

+1,834

50,214

TOTAL

6,765,080

6,952,887

-187,807

8,300,372

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 127,048,587 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 paid, 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 04/07/2012

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

PA

+7,483

Layoffs in the transportation, entertainment, lodging, food service, professional, scientific and technology services, and construction industries.

CA

+6,587

Layoffs in the service industry.

WA

+5,985

Layoffs in the agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, transportation and warehousing, health and social assistance, and accommodations and food service industries.

NJ

+5,735

Layoffs in the accommodation and food services, transportation and warehousing, public administration and education services, trade, and manufacturing industries.

IN

+4,984

Layoffs in the plastic and rubber manufacturing industries.

NY

+4,158

Layoffs in the construction, finance and insurance, and manufacturing industries.

TX

+3,632

Layoffs in the manufacturing, support service, and transportation industries.

MD

+3,121

No comment.

AZ

+3,034

No comment.

OH

+2,662

No comment.

IL

+2,323

Layoffs in the construction, administrative support service, and trade industries

WI

+2,159

Layoffs in the accommodation and food service, transportation and warehousing, and waste service industries.

MI

+2,019

Layoffs in the administrative service, waste, and remediation service industries.

NV

+1,908

No comment.

AK

+1,708

No comment.

MO

+1,467

Layoffs in the administrative services, manufacturing, health care, and retail industries.

OR

+1,362

No comment.

FL

+1,299

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

CO

+1,127

No comment.

MA

+1,038

No comment.

GA

+1,007

No comment.

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 19, 2012