News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 05-796-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Subri Raman (202) 693-3058 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176 8:30 A.M. (EDT), THURSDAY
Media Contact : May 5, 2005
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending April 30, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 333,000, an increase of 11,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 322,000. The 4-week moving average was 321,500, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised average of 323,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.0 percent for the week ending April 23, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending April 23 was 2,589,000, an increase of 38,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,551,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,606,500, a decrease of 24,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,630,750.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 288,626 in the week ending April 30, a decrease of 12,249 from the previous week. There were 283,236 initial claims in the comparable week in 2004.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.0 percent during the week ending April 23, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,570,929, a decrease of 41,651 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.3 percent and the volume was 2,915,357.

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Extended benefits were available in Alaska during the week ending April 16.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 974 in the week ending April 23, a decrease of 132 from the prior week. There were 1,974 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 242 from the preceding week.

There were 14,361 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 16, a decrease of 17 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 26,320, an increase of 661 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending April 16 were in Alaska (5.1 percent), Puerto Rico (4.1), Michigan (3.5), Oregon (3.1), New Jersey (3.0), Pennsylvania (3.0), Wisconsin (2.8), Massachusetts (2.7), Vermont (2.7), and California (2.6).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending April 23 were in Massachusetts (+5,534), Kentucky (+4,080), California (+3,257), Texas (+2,974), and Connecticut (+2,396), while the largest decreases were in Minnesota (-2,801), Tennessee (-2,201), Wisconsin (-880), Pennsylvania (-865), and South Carolina (-707).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING April 30 April 23 Change April 16 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 333,000 322,000 +11,000 299,000 329,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 288,626 300,875 -12,249 285,657 283,236
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 321,500 323,500 -2,000 331,000 345,500
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING April 23 April 16 Change April 9 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,589,000 2,551,000 +38,000 2,631,000 2,933,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,570,929 2,612,580 -41,651 2,731,177 2,915,357
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,606,500 2,630,750 -24,250 2,642,500 2,985,250
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.0% 2.0% 0.0 2.1% 2.3%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 2.0% 2.1% -0.1 2.1% 2.3%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
April 23
April 16
Change
Year
Federal Employees 974 1,106 -132 1,033
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,974 2,216 -242 1,578
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
April 16
April 9
Change
Year
Federal Employees 14,361 14,378 -17 16,919
Newly Discharged Veterans 26,320 25,659 +661 26,330
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 3,000
Extended Benefits 3,986 1,776 +2,210 2,684
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 127,095,859 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 04/23/2005 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MN -2,801 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
TN -2,201 Fewer layoffs in the primary metals and service industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
RI +1,640 Layoffs in the trade and service industries.
OK +1,944 No comment.
MI +2,106 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
CT +2,396 Layoffs in the service industry.
TX +2,974 Layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
CA +3,257 Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
KY +4,080 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
MA +5,534 Increase due to school closings for spring break.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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