News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 08-606-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Scott Gibbons (202) 693-3008 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176 8:30 A.M. (EDT), THURSDAY
Media Contact : May 8, 2008
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending May 3, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 365,000, a decrease of 18,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 383,000. The 4-week moving average was 367,000, an increase of 2,500 from the previous week's revised average of 364,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending April 26, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.3 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending April 26 was 3,020,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,030,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,998,750, an increase of 16,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,982,000.  

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 2,828,234.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 332,984 in the week ending May 3, a decrease of 5,422 from the previous week. There were 274,801 initial claims in the comparable week in 2007.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent during the week ending April 26, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,944,507, a decrease of 42,895 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 1.9 percent and the volume was 2,451,671.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending April 19.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 862 in the week ending April 26, a decrease of 48 from the prior week. There were 1,392 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 23 from the preceding week.

There were 11,785 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 19, a decrease of 1,531 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 21,281, an increase of 276 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending April 19 were in Puerto Rico (5.1 percent), Alaska (4.3), Michigan (3.9), Rhode Island (3.5), Oregon (3.3), California (3.2), Vermont (3.2), Pennsylvania (3.1), New Jersey (3.0), and Wisconsin (3.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending April 26 were in Massachusetts (+5,591), New York (+4,648), Kentucky (+3,776), New Jersey (+3,521), and Michigan (+3,238), while the largest decreases were in Texas (-3,373), Rhode Island (-1,835), California (-1,689), Pennsylvania (-1,597), and Connecticut (-1,423).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING May 3 April 26 Change April 19 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 365,000 383,000 -18,000 345,000 297,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 332,984 338,406 -5,422 328,346 274,801
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 367,000 364,500 +2,500 370,250 313,750
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING April 26 April 19 Change April 12 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,020,000 3,030,000 -10,000 2,946,000 2,530,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,944,507 2,987,402 -42,895 3,054,853 2,451,671
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,998,750 2,982,000 +16,750 2,962,500 2,526,000
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.3% 2.3% 0.0 2.2% 1.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 2.2% 2.2% 0.0 2.3% 1.9%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
April 26
April 19
Change
Year
Federal Employees 862 910 -48 770
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,392 1,415 -23 1,427
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
April 19
April 12
Change
Year
Federal Employees 11,785 13,316 -1,531 11,989
Newly Discharged Veterans 21,281 21,005 +276 22,213
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 0 0 0 1
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 133,382,559 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 04/26/2008 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
TX -3,373 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
RI -1,835 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.
CA -1,689 No comment.
PA -1,597 Fewer layoffs in the mining, service, and public administration industries, and agriculture.
CT -1,423 Fewer layoffs in the transportation and service industries.
SC -1,017 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
GA +1,016 Layoffs in the transportation equipment and manufacturing industries.
OR +1,103 No comment.
IA +1,367 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
MI +3,238 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
NJ +3,521 Layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, and service industries.
KY +3,776 Layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
NY +4,648 Layoffs in the transportation and service industries.
MA +5,591 Layoffs in the transportation, service, public administration, and manufacturing industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current


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