News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 05-885-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 19, 2005
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending May 14, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 321,000, a decrease of 20,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 341,000. The 4-week moving average was 329,750, an increase of 5,500 from the previous week's revised average of 324,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.0 percent for the week ending May 7, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 7 was 2,601,000, an increase of 5,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,596,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,582,750, a decrease of 7,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,590,250.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 273,917 in the week ending May 14, a decrease of 23,212 from the previous week. There were 297,061 initial claims in the comparable week in 2004.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent during the week ending May 7, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,447,730, a decrease of 60,164 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.2 percent and the volume was 2,772,073.

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Extended benefits were available in Alaska during the week ending April 30.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,043 in the week ending May 7, an increase of 190 from the prior week. There were 2,126 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 261 from the preceding week.

There were 13,406 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 30, an increase of 77 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 26,974, an increase of 810 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending April 30 were in Alaska (4.7 percent), Puerto Rico (4.4), Michigan (3.1), Oregon (3.0), New Jersey (2.8), Pennsylvania (2.8), California (2.6), Massachusetts (2.5), Rhode Island (2.5), and Wisconsin (2.5).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 7 were in New York (+8,113), Kentucky (+2,868), Pennsylvania (+1,507), North Carolina (+1,346), and Mississippi (+1,273), while the largest decreases were in Michigan (-4,724), Connecticut (-2,460), Missouri (-1,471), California (-1,366), and New Jersey (-1,017).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING May 14 May 7 Change April 30 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 321,000 341,000 -20,000 336,000 349,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 273,917 297,129 -23,212 290,824 297,061
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 329,750 324,250 +5,500 322,000 338,500
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING May 7 April 30 Change April 23 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,601,000 2,596,000 +5,000 2,583,000 2,946,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,447,730 2,507,894 -60,164 2,564,797 2,772,073
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,582,750 2,590,250 -7,500 2,605,000 2,965,500
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.0% 2.0% 0.0 2.0% 2.3%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 1.9% 2.0% -0.1 2.0% 2.2%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
May 7
April 30
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,043 853 +190 1,202
Newly Discharged Veterans 2,126 1,865 +261 1,785
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
April 30
April 23
Change
Year
Federal Employees 13,406 13,329 +77 15,746
Newly Discharged Veterans 26,974 26,164 +810 25,692
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 3,738 1,934 +1,804 2,442
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 05/07/2005 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MI -4,724 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
CT -2,460 Decrease due to schools returning to session after spring break.
MO -1,471 Fewer layoffs in the transportation, industrial machinery, and furniture industries.
CA -1,366 No comment.
NJ -1,017 Fewer layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, and service industries.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
FL +1,070 Layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
TN +1,126 Layoffs in the transportation, industrial machinery, computer equipment, electronic equipment, primary metals, and manufacturing industries.
MS +1,273 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
NC +1,346 Layoffs in the textile, fabricated metals, leather goods, and service industries.
PA +1,507 Layoffs in the rubber/plastics, primary metals, and service industries.
KY +2,868 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
NY +8,113 Layoffs in the transportation and service industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

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