News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 04-1003-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 June 3, 2004
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending May 29, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 339,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 345,000. The 4-week moving average was 341,000, an increase of 5,250 from the previous week's revised average of 335,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent for the week ending May 22, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.3 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 22 was 3,003,000, an increase of 65,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,938,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,958,250, an increase of 22,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,936,250.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 302,472 in the week ending May 29, an increase of 7,804 from the previous week. There were 351,890 initial claims in the comparable week in 2003.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent during the week ending May 22, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,717,875, a decrease of 16,981 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.6 percent and the volume was 3,297,674.

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Extended benefits were available in Alaska during the week ending May 15.

13,882 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending May 15.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,167 in the week ending May 22, an increase of 213 from the prior week. There were 1,919 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 161 from the preceding week.

There were 14,927 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending May 15, an increase of 1,012 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 25,336, a decrease of 359 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending May 15 were in Alaska (4.8 percent), Puerto Rico (4.2), Oregon (3.3), Pennsylvania (3.1), New Jersey (3.0), Michigan (2.9), California (2.8), Washington (2.8), Massachusetts (2.7), and Arkansas (2.6).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 22 were in Oklahoma (+2,368), Mississippi (+809), Pennsylvania (+591), Wisconsin (+545), and Florida (+384), while the largest decreases were in Michigan (-3,202), South Carolina (-1,685), Virginia (-1,283), California (-1,122), and Georgia (-837).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING May 29  May 22 Change May 15  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 339,000 345,000 -6,000 347,000 436,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 302,472 294,668 +7,804 297,061 351,890
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 341,000 335,750 +5,250 334,000 424,250
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING May 22 May 15  Change May 8 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 3,003,000 2,938,000 +65,000 2,933,000 3,652,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,717,875 2,734,856 -16,981 2,772,073 3,297,674
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,958,250 2,936,250 +22,000 2,952,750 3,669,000
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.4% 2.3% +0.1 2.3% 2.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.2% 2.2% 0.0 2.2% 2.6%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
May 22
May 15
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,167 954 +213 1,148
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,919 1,758 +161 1,063
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
May 15
May 8
Change
Year
Federal Employees 14,927 13,915 +1,012 13,577
Newly Discharged Veterans 25,336 25,695 -359 17,244
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 2,237 2,219 +18 15,679
Federal (TEUC) 13,882 15,676 -1,794 841,369
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 05/22/2004 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MI -3,202 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
SC -1,685 Fewer layoffs in the textile industry.
VA -1,283 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
CA -1,122 Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
OK +2,368 Layoffs in the automobile industry.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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