News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 04-786-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Thomas Stengle (202) 693-2991 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Media Contact : 8:30 A.M. (EDT), THURSDAY
(202) 693-4676 May 6, 2004
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending May 1, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 315,000, a decrease of 25,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 340,000. The 4-week moving average was 343,250, a decrease of 3,750 from the previous week's revised average of 347,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending April 24, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.4 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending April 24 was 2,935,000, a decrease of 69,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,004,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,977,750, a decrease of 15,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,993,000.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 280,417 in the week ending May 1, a decrease of 34,588 from the previous week. There were 377,383 initial claims in the comparable week in 2003.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent during the week ending April 24, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,934,769, a decrease of 102,684 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.9 percent and the volume was 3,621,019.

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Extended benefits were available in Alaska during the week ending April 17.

23,334 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending April 17.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,030 in the week ending April 24, a decrease of 18 from the prior week. There were 1,577 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 20 from the preceding week.

There were 16,907 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 17, an increase of 945 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 26,315, a decrease of 5 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending April 17 were in Alaska (5.9 percent), Puerto Rico (3.9), Oregon (3.6), Michigan (3.5), New Jersey (3.5), Pennsylvania (3.5), Rhode Island (3.3), Wisconsin (3.2), California (3.1), and Washington (3.1).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending April 24 were in Massachusetts (+5,228), Michigan (+2,458), North Carolina (+2,006), Connecticut (+1,781), and Florida (+587), while the largest decreases were in New York (-14,224), New Jersey (-4,510), Pennsylvania (-2,499), Wisconsin (-2,178), and South Carolina (-2,155).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING May 1  April 24 Change April 17  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 315,000 340,000 -25,000 356,000 423,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 280,417 315,005 -34,588 334,965 377,383
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 343,250 347,000 -3,750 347,750 435,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING April 24 April 17  Change April 10 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,935,000 3,004,000 -69,000 3,005,000 3,625,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,934,769 3,037,453 -102,684 3,143,186 3,621,019
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,977,750 2,993,000 -15,250 3,004,500 3,599,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.3% 2.4% -0.1 2.4% 2.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.3% 2.4% -0.1 2.5% 2.9%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
April 24
April 17
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,030 1,048 -18 1,022
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,577 1,797 -20 1,114
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
April 17
April 10
Change
Year
Federal Employees 16,907 15,962 +945 15,174
Newly Discharged Veterans 26,315 26,320 -5 18,062
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 2,684 2,411 +273 16,707
Federal (TEUC) 23,334 31,184 -7,850 811,550
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 126,084,041 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 04/24/2004 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
NY -14,224 Decrease due to schools returning to session after spring break.
NJ -4,510 Fewer layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
PA -2,499 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, transportation, and transportation equipment industries.
WI -2,178 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
SC -2,155 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
RI -1,507 Fewer layoffs in the trade and service industries.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
CT +1,781 Increase due to school closings for spring break.
NC +2,006 Layoffs in the construction and tobacco industries.
MI +2,458 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
MA +5,228 Increase due to school closings for spring break.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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