News Release
  
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 08-534-NAT
   
   
Program Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS
Scott Gibbons (202) 693-3008 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Tony Sznoluch (202) 693-3176 8:30 A.M. (EDT), THURSDAY
Media Contact : April 24, 2008
(202) 693-4676  
 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

          SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending April 19, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 342,000, a decrease of 33,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 375,000. The 4-week moving average was 369,500, a decrease of 7,250 from the previous week's revised average of 376,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent for the week ending April 12, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.2 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending April 12 was 2,934,000, a decrease of 65,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,999,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,959,500, an increase of 20,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,939,000.  

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 325,867 in the week ending April 19, a decrease of 44,935 from the previous week. There were 303,984 initial claims in the comparable week in 2007.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent during the week ending April 12, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,042,587, a decrease of 46,373 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.0 percent and the volume was 2,634,301.

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Extended benefits were not available in any state during the week ending April 5.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,020 in the week ending April 12, an increase of 96 from the prior week. There were 1,478 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 86 from the preceding week.

There were 12,601 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 5, a decrease of 1,811 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 21,588, an increase of 26 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending April 5 were in Michigan (4.2 percent), Puerto Rico (4.2), Alaska (4.1), Rhode Island (3.5), Wisconsin (3.5), Oregon (3.3), Pennsylvania (3.3), Vermont (3.3), New Jersey (3.2), California (3.1), Idaho (3.0), and Massachusetts (3.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending April 12 were in California (+8,791), Florida (+4,281), Michigan (+2,943), North Carolina (+2,415), and Puerto Rico (+1,452), while the largest decreases were in Kentucky (-2,502), Oregon (-1,646), South Carolina (-1,543), New York (-1,436), and Illinois (-1,397).

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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING April 19 April 12 Change April 5 Year
Initial Claims (SA) 342,000 375,000 -33,000 355,000 316,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 325,867 370,802 -44,935 357,206 303,984
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 369,500 376,750 -7,250 376,750 324,000
Advance Prior1
WEEK ENDING April 12 April 5 Change March 29 Year
Ins. Unemployment (SA) 2,934,000 2,999,000 -65,000 2,953,000 2,555,000
Ins. Unemployment (NSA) 3,042,587 3,088,960 -46,373 3,200,533 2,634,301
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 2,959,500 2,939,000 +20,500 2,905,500 2,517,750
Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2 2.2% 2.2% 0.0 2.2% 1.9%
Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2
 2.3% 2.3% 0.0 2.4% 2.0%
INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
       
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
April 12
April 5
Change
Year
Federal Employees 1,020 924 +96 991
Newly Discharged Veterans 1,478 1,392 +86 1,594
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
Prior1
WEEK ENDING
April 5
March 29
Change
Year
Federal Employees 12,601 14,412 -1,811 12,743
Newly Discharged Veterans 21,588 21,562 +26 22,871
Railroad Retirement Board 3,000 3,000 0 2,000
Extended Benefits 0 0 0 0
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 133,382,559 as denominator.
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UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 04/12/2008 

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
KY -2,502 Fewer layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
OR -1,646 No comment.
SC -1,543 Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.
NY -1,436 Fewer layoffs in the service and transportation industries.
IL -1,397 Fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.
OH -1,308 No comment.
GA -1,236 Fewer layoffs in the furniture industry.
AL -1,107 Fewer layoffs in the electrical equipment industry.
STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 
State Change State Supplied Comment
MO +1,021 Layoffs in the construction industry.
KS +1,129 Layoffs in the construction and manufacturing industries.
AZ +1,130 No comment.
MS +1,188 Layoffs in the automobile and manufacturing industries.
PR +1,452 No comment.
NC +2,415 Layoffs in the construction, apparel, furniture, and transportation industries.
MI +2,943 Layoffs in the automobile industry.
FL +4,281 Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.
CA +8,791 Layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.

State Detail Prior Week
UI Claims Series 1967 to current


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