News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 04-1034-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 10, 2004
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending June 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 352,000, an increase of 12,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 340,000. The 4-week moving average was 346,000, an increase of 4,750 from the previous week's revised average of 341,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending May 29, 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 May 29 was 2,881,000, a decrease of 106,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,987,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,934,500, a decrease of 19,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,954,000.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 308,443 in the week ending June 5, an increase of 5,216 from the previous week. There were 421,190 initial claims in the comparable week in 2003.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.1 percent during the week ending May 29, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,650,526, a decrease of 52,399 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.7 percent and the volume was 3,438,523.

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Extended benefits were available in Alaska during the week ending May 22.

11,459 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending May 22.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,343 in the week ending May 29, an increase of 175 from the prior week. There were 1,879 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 44 from the preceding week.

There were 13,233 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending May 22, a decrease of 1,694 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 24,995, a decrease of 341 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending May 22 were in Alaska (4.4 percent), Puerto Rico (4.3), Oregon (3.3), Michigan (3.0), Pennsylvania (3.0), New Jersey (2.9), California (2.7), Washington (2.7), Arkansas (2.6), and Massachusetts (2.6).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 29 were in Texas (+2,474), Georgia (+2,226), Minnesota (+1,009), Illinois (+816), and Florida (+780), while the largest decreases were in Oklahoma (-2,192), California (-1,531), Mississippi (-425), Alabama (-406), and Wisconsin (-357).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING June 5  May 29 Change May 22  Year
Initial Claims (SA) 352,000 340,000 +12,000 345,000 424,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 308,443 303,227 +5,216 293,974 421,190
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 346,000 341,250 +4,750 335,750 425,750
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING May 29 May 22  Change May 15 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,881,000 2,987,000 -106,000 2,937,000 3,709,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,650,526 2,702,925 -52,399 2,734,768 3,438,523
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,934,500 2,954,000 -19,500 2,936,000 3,672,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.3% 2.4% -0.1 2.3% 2.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.1% 2.1% 0.0 2.2% 2.7%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
May 29
May 22
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,343 1,168 +175 1,587
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,879 1,923 -44 926
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
May 22
May 15
Change
Year
Federal Employees 13,233 14,927 -1,694 11,979
Newly Discharged Veterans 24,995 25,336 -341 16,062
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 2,104 2,237 -133 15,762
Federal (TEUC) 11,459 13,882 -2,423 822,256
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 05/29/2004 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
OK -2,192 No comment.
CA -1,531 Fewer layoffs in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MN +1,009 Layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
GA +2,226 Layoffs in the communications and manufacturing industries.
TX +2,474 Layoffs in the trade, service, and utilities industries.


State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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