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EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION

USDL 08-646-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 15, 2008

(202) 693-4676

 

 

 

 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending May 10, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 371,000, an increase of 6,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 365,000. The 4-week moving average was 365,750, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's revised average of 366,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending May 3, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.3 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 3 was 3,060,000, an increase of 28,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,032,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,017,000, an increase of 15,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,001,750.  

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 2,838,249.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 322,942 in the week ending May 10, a decrease of 10,087 from the previous week. There were 258,516 initial claims in the comparable week in 2007.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.1 percent during the week ending May 3, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,833,473, a decrease of 123,173 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 1.7 percent and the volume was 2,290,364.

Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending April 26.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 911 in the week ending May 3, an increase of 47 from the prior week. There were 1,370 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 26 from the preceding week.

There were 12,271 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 26, an increase of 485 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 20,947, a decrease of 338 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending April 26 were in Puerto Rico (4.3 percent), Alaska (4.2), Michigan (3.9), Oregon (3.3), California (3.1), Rhode Island (3.1), New Jersey (3.0), Pennsylvania (3.0), Vermont (3.0), and Wisconsin (2.9).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 3 were in New York (+11,414), Pennsylvania (+2,716), Wisconsin (+1,023), Virginia (+784), and Illinois (+781), while the largest decreases were in Massachusetts (-5,027), New Jersey (-3,259), Georgia (-2,935), Oregon (-2,011), and Michigan (-1,939).


UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS


 

Advance

 

 

 

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

May 10

May 3

Change

April 26

Year


Initial Claims (SA)

371,000

365,000

+6,000

382,000

302,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

322,942

333,029

-10,087

337,858

258,516

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

365,750

366,750

-1,000

364,250

306,000

 

Advance

 

 

 

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

May 3

April 26

Change

April 19

Year


Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,060,000

3,032,000

+28,000

3,030,000

2,490,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

2,833,473

2,956,646

-123,173

2,987,428

2,290,364

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,017,000

3,001,750

+15,250

2,982,000

2,518,250


Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

2.3%

2.3%

0.0

2.3%

1.9%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

2.1%

2.2%

-0.1

2.2%

1.7%


INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)


 

 

 

 

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

May 3

April 26

Change

Year


Federal Employees

911

864

+47

847

Newly Discharged Veterans

1,370

1,396

-26

1,584


PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)


 

 

 

 

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

April 26

April 19

Change

Year


Federal Employees

12,271

11,786

485

13,036

Newly Discharged Veterans

20,947

21,285

-338

21,849

Railroad Retirement Board

2,000

2,000

0

2,000

Extended Benefits

0

0

0

0


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.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 05/03/2008 


STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 


State

Change

 

State Supplied Comment

MA

-5,027

 

Fewer layoffs in the transportation and service industries.

NJ

-3,259

 

Fewer layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, service, and manufacturing industries.

GA

-2,935

 

Fewer layoffs in the transportation equipment and service industries.

OR

-2,011

 

No comment.

MI

-1,939

 

Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.

CA

-1,767

 

No comment.

MO

-1,561

 

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

CT

-1,383

 

Fewer layoffs in the transportation and service industries.


STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 


State

Change

 

State Supplied Comment

WI

+1,023

 

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

PA

+2,716

 

Layoffs in the utilities, mining, leather goods, and furniture industries.

NY

+11,414

 

Layoffs in the transportation and service industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

 

 

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