News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 11-583-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 : April 28, 2011
(202) 693-4676  
 

 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending April 23, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 429,000, an increase of 25,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 404,000. The 4-week moving average was 408,500, an increase of 9,250 from the previous week's revised average of 399,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending April 16, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 3.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending April 16 was 3,641,000, a decrease of 68,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,709,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,697,750, a decrease of 22,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,720,500.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 385,622 in the week ending April 23, an increase of 3,569 from the previous week. There were 429,196 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent during the week ending April 16, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,765,074, a decrease of 128,881 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.7 percent and the volume was 4,796,318.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending April 9 was 8,187,232, a decrease of 112,578 from the previous week.

 

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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 9.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,742 in the week ending April 16, a decrease of 405 from the prior week. There were 2,310 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 197 from the preceding week.

There were 34,547 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 9, an increase of 497 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 46,009, an increase of 8,308 from the prior week.

States reported 3,448,260 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending April 9, a decrease of 78,833 from the prior week. There were 5,197,739 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 9 were in Alaska (5.9 percent), Puerto Rico (4.9), Oregon (4.5), Wisconsin (4.4), Pennsylvania (4.4), California (4.2), Montana (4.1), Idaho (4.1), New Jersey (4.0), Rhode Island (4.0), and Illinois (4.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending April 16 were in Florida (+2,753), Puerto Rico (+1,121), New Mexico (+680), New Jersey (+490), and Colorado (+481), while the largest decreases were in California (-18,017), North Carolina (-5,871), Pennsylvania (-4,925), Kentucky
(-4,267), and Texas (-3,882).

 

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
WEEK ENDING Advance April 23 April 16 Change April 9 Prior Year1
Initial Claims (SA) 429,000 404,000 +25,000 416,000 457,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 385,622 382,053 +3,569 448,029 429,196
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 408,500 399,250 +9,250 396,750 468,750
WEEK ENDING Advance April 16 April 9 Change April 2 Prior Year1
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,641,000 3,709,000 -68,000 3,703,000 4,675,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,765,074 3,893,955 -128,881 3,943,591 4,796,318
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,697,750 3,720,500 -22,750 3,734,500 4,675,250
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.9% 3.0% -0.1 2.9% 3.6%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 3.0% 3.1% -0.1 3.1% 3.7%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
April 16
April 9
Change
Prior Year1
Federal Employees 1,742 2,147 -405 1,234
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,310 2,507 -197 2,485
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING
April 9
April 2
Change
Prior Year1
Regular State 3,880,285 3,930,215 -49,930 4,908,983
Federal Employees (UCFE) 34,547 34,050 +497 20,360
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 46,009 37,701 +8,308 37,144
EUC 20083 3,448,260 3,527,093 -78,833 5,197,739
Extended Benefits4 716,314 713,881 +2,433 246,663
State Additional Benefits 5 6,406 6,656 -250 9,739
STC / Workshare 6 55,411 50,214 +5,197 89,081
TOTAL 8,187,232 8,299,810 -112,578 10,509,709
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.xls
4 - 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

 

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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 04/16/2011 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CA -18,017 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.
NC -5,871 Fewer layoffs in the construction, transportation, and warehousing industries.
PA -4,925 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.
KY -4,267 No comment.
TX -3,882 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, finance, and manufacturing industries.
MI -3,412 No comment.
WA -2,692 No comment.
OH -2,636 Fewer layoffs in the construction industry.
MD -2,420 No comment.
NY -2,173 Fewer layoffs in the service industry.
GA -2,060 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.
IL -2,039 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.
WI -1,911 No comment.
AZ -1,435 No comment.
SC -1,366 Fewer layoffs in the industrial machinery industry.
OR -1,349 No comment.
IN -1,242 Fewer layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
VA -1,040 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
PR +1,121 No comment.
FL +2,753 The start of a new quarter of wage credits for benefit purposes, as well as layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries, and agriculture.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

 

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