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News Release
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending May 19, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 370,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 372,000. The 4-week moving average was 370,000, a decrease of 5,500 from the previous week's revised average of 375,500.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the week ending May 12, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 12 was 3,260,000, a decrease of 29,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,289,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,271,500, a decrease of 17,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,288,750.
UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 327,595 in the week ending May 19, an increase of 2,515 from the previous week. There were 376,632 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent during the week ending May 12, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,106,534, a decrease of 43,864 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.8 percent and the volume was 3,549,972.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending May 5 was 6,168,620, a decrease of 105,004 from the previous week.
Extended benefits were available in Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and West Virginia during the week ending May 5.
Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,204 in the week ending May 12, an increase of 7 from the prior week. There were 2,521 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 85 from the preceding week.
There were 17,523 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending May 5, a decrease of 172 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 38,632, a decrease of 1,057 from the prior week.
States reported 2,630,507 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending May 5, a decrease of 35,500 from the prior week. There were 3,411,860 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 May 5 were in Alaska (4.9), California (3.6), Puerto Rico (3.6), Pennsylvania (3.5), New Jersey (3.4), Oregon (3.4), Connecticut (3.2), Illinois (3.1), Nevada (3.1), Rhode Island (3.0), and Wisconsin (3.0).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 12 were in North Carolina (+1,956), Mississippi (+675), Tennessee (+474), Alabama (+428), and Florida (+373), while the largest decreases were in California (-3,478), New York (-3,094), Missouri (-2,111), Texas (-1,446), and Illinois (-1,316).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
WEEK ENDING | Advance May 19 | May 12 | Change | May 5 | Prior Year1 |
|---|
Initial Claims (SA) | 370,000 | 372,000 | -2,000 | 370,000 | 424,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Initial Claims (NSA) | 327,595 | 325,080 | +2,515 | 341,080 | 376,632 |
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) | 370,000 | 375,500 | -5,500 | 379,750 | 434,000 |
WEEK ENDING | Advance May 12 | May 5 | Change | April 28 | Prior Year1 |
|---|
Ins. Unemployment (SA) | 3,260,000 | 3,289,000 | -29,000 | 3,247,000 | 3,737,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) | 3,106,534 | 3,150,398 | -43,864 | 3,210,827 | 3,549,972 |
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) | 3,271,500 | 3,288,750 | -17,250 | 3,294,500 | 3,761,250 |
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 | 2.6% | 2.6% | 0.0 | 2.6% | 3.0% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 | 2.4% | 2.5% | -0.1 | 2.5% | 2.8% |
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING | May 12 | May 5 | Change | Prior Year1 |
|---|
Federal Employees | 1,204 | 1,197 | +7 | 1,550 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Newly Discharged Veterans | 2,521 | 2,606 | -85 | 2,482 |
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING | May 5 | April 28 | Change | Prior Year1 |
Regular State | 3,141,342 | 3,201,525 | -60,183 | 3,571,995 |
Federal Employees (UCFE) | 17,523 | 17,695 | -172 | 26,002 |
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) | 38,632 | 39,689 | -1,057 | 36,022 |
EUC 20083 | 2,630,507 | 2,666,007 | -35,500 | 3,411,860 |
Extended Benefits4 | 299,955 | 304,755 | -4,800 | 633,946 |
State Additional Benefits 5 | 6,363 | 7,079 | -716 | 28,625 |
STC / Workshare 6 | 34,298 | 36,874 | -2,576 | 53,003 |
TOTAL | 6,168,620 | 6,273,624 | -105,004 | 7,761,453 |
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 05/12/2012
STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
State | Change |
| State Supplied Comment |
CA | -3,478 |
| Fewer layoff in the service, agriculture, forestry, and fishing industries. |
NY | -3,094 |
| Fewer layoffs in the construction, professional, scientific, technical service, and retail industries. |
MO | -2,111 |
| Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry. |
TX | -1,446 |
| No comment. |
IL | -1,316 |
| No comment. |
WA | -1,063 |
| No comment. |
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000
State | Change |
| State Supplied Comment |
NC | +1,956 |
| Layoffs in the furniture and fixtures, textile, and business industries as well as nonclassifiable establishments. |
State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current
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