News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 06-759-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 4, 2006
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending April 29, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 322,000, an increase of 5,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 317,000. The 4-week moving average was 314,250, an increase of 5,250 from the previous week's revised average of 309,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent for the week ending April 22, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 1.9 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending April 22 was 2,462,000, an increase of 21,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,441,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,437,750, an increase of 7,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,430,250.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 277,058 in the week ending April 29, a decrease of 14,914 from the previous week. There were 290,824 initial claims in the comparable week in 2005.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent during the week ending April 22, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,425,101, a decrease of 57,827 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.0 percent and the volume was 2,564,797.

-more-

 

2

Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending April 15.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 959 in the week ending April 22, an increase of 61 from the prior week. There were 1,618 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 24 from the preceding week.

There were 14,025 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 15, an increase of 691 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 26,762, an increase of 499 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending April 15 were in Puerto Rico (4.8 percent), Alaska (4.7), Michigan (4.0), Pennsylvania (2.9), New Jersey (2.8), Wisconsin (2.7), Vermont (2.6), Oregon (2.6), California (2.5), and Rhode Island (2.5).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending April 22 were in New York (+7,442), Massachusetts (+4,547), Connecticut (+4,546), New Jersey (+2,538), and North Carolina (+1,962), while the largest decreases were in Michigan (-2,193), Pennsylvania (-1,254), Illinois (-1,209), Maryland (-1,014), and Georgia (-940).

-more-

 

3
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING April 29 April 22 Change April 15 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 322,000 317,000 +5,000 304,000 341,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 277,058 291,972 -14,914 268,472 290,824
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 314,250 309,000 +5,250 305,750 328,750
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING April 22 April 15 Change April 8 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,462,000 2,441,000 +21,000 2,427,000 2,604,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 2,425,101 2,482,928 -57,827 2,504,901 2,564,797
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,437,750 2,430,250 +7,500 2,435,500 2,626,250
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 1.9% 1.9% 0.0 1.9% 2.0%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 1.9% 1.9% 0.0 1.9% 2.0%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
April 22
April 15
Change
Year
Federal Employees 959 898 +61 975
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,618 1,642 -24 1,981
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
April 15
April 8
Change
Year
Federal Employees 14,025 13,334 +691 14,370
Newly Discharged Veterans 26,762 26,263 +499 26,324
Railroad Retirement Board 2,000 2,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 807 508 +299 3,986
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 129,381,803 as denominator.
-more-

 

4

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 04/22/2006 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MI -2,193 Fewer layoffs in the automobile industry.
PA -1,254 Fewer layoffs in the construction and service industries.
IL -1,209 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
MD -1,014 No comment.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
SC +1,084 No comment.
TX +1,182 Layoffs in the service and manufacturing industries.
OH +1,292 No comment.
RI +1,333 Layoffs in the service industry.
IN +1,338 Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
DE +1,450 No comment.
NC +1,962 Layoffs in the food, textile, and rubber/plastics industries.
NJ +2,538 Layoffs in the transportation, warehousing, trade, and service industries.
CT +4,546 Layoffs in the transportation and service industries.
MA +4,547 Layoffs in the transportation industry.
NY +7,442 Layoffs in the transportation and service industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current

This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-693-4676. TDD Message Phone: 1-800-326-2577.  News releases from the U.S. Department of Labor are accessible on the Internet at: http://www.dol.gov/ and  http://www.ows.doleta.gov/