Washington, DC…In the week ending May 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 2,981,000, a decrease of 195,000 from the previous week’s revised level. The previous week’s level was revised up by 7,000 from 3,169,000 to 3,176,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,616,500, a decrease of 564,000 from the previous week’s revised average.  The previous week’s average was revised up by 7,000 from 4,173,500 to 4,180,500.  The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 15.7 percent for the week ending May 2, an increase of 0.3 percentage point from the previous week’s revised rate. The previous week’s rate was revised down by 0.1 from 15.5 to 15.4 percent. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 2 was 22,833,000, an increase of 456,000 from the previous week’s revised level. The previous week’s level was revised down by 270,000 from 22,647,000 to 22,377,000. The 4-week moving average was 19,760,000, an increase of 2,729,750 from the previous week’s revised average. The previous week’s average was revised down by 67,500 from 17,097,750 to 17,030,250.

UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 2,614,093 in the week ending May 9, a decrease of 241,467 (or -8.5 percent) from the previous week. The seasonal factors had expected a decrease of 69,880 (or -2.4 percent) from the previous week. There were 188,264 initial claims in the comparable week in 2019. In addition, for the week ending May 9, 29 states reported 841,995 initial claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA).

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 14.5 percent during the week ending May 2, a decrease of 0.4 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 21,143,403, a decrease of 629,189 (or -2.9 percent) from the preceding week. The seasonal factors had expected a decrease of 1,051,708 (or -4.8 percent) from the previous week. A year earlier the rate was 1.1 percent and the volume was 1,539,086.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending April 25 was 25,363,208, an increase of 6,443,777 from the previous week. There were 1,659,123 persons claiming benefits in all programs in the comparable week in 2019.

No state was triggered “on” the Extended Benefits program during the week ending April 25. Initial claims for UI benefits filed by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,033 in the week ending May 2, an increase of 119 from the prior week. There were 1,252 initial claims filed by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 11 from the preceding week.

There were 16,854 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending April 25, an increase of 3,084 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 11,758, an increase of 3,086 from the prior week.

During the week ending Apr 25, 23 states reported 3,402,409 individuals claiming Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits and 13 states reported 79,538 individuals claiming Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation benefits.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending April 25 were in California (27.7), Michigan (23.1), Nevada (22.0), Pennsylvania (21.2), Rhode Island (20.6), Georgia (20.2), Vermont (20.0), New York (18.6), Connecticut (18.0), and Washington (18.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending May 2 were in Oklahoma (+41,385), Maryland (+25,318), New Jersey (+16,360), Maine (+8,452), and Puerto Rico (+4,600), while the largest decreases were in Florida (-258,243), Alabama (-45,981), Georgia (-38,213), Washington (-37,289), and Pennsylvania (-33,451).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS
WEEK ENDING May 9 May 2 Change April 25 Prior Year1
Initial Claims (SA) 2,981,000 3,176,000 -195,000 3,867,000 217,000
Initial Claims (NSA) 2,614,093 2,855,560 -241,467 3,515,439 188,264
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 3,616,500 4,180,500 -564,000 5,040,250 224,500

WEEK ENDING May 2 April 25 Change April 18 Prior Year1
Insured Unemployment (SA) 22,833,000 22,377,000 +456,000 18,011,000 1,678,000
Insured Unemployment (NSA) 21,143,403 21,772,592 -629,189 17,794,965 1,539,086
4-Wk Moving Average (SA) 19,760,000 17,030,250 +2,729,750 13,297,500 1,675,750
Insured Unemployment Rate (SA)2 15.7% 15.4% +0.3 12.4% 1.2%
Insured Unemployment Rate (NSA)2 14.5% 14.9% -0.4 12.2% 1.1%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)
WEEK ENDING May 9 May 2 Change April 25
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance 841,995 1,002,606 -160,611 788,733

WEEK ENDING May 2 April 25 Change Prior Year1
Federal Employees (UCFE) 2,033 1,914 +119 541
Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX) 1,252 1,263 -11 553
PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING April 25 April 18 Change Prior Year1
Regular State 21,723,230 17,756,015 +3,967,215 1,629,328
Federal Employees 16,854 13,770 +3,084 8,441
Newly Discharged Veterans 11,758 8,672 +3,086 5,692
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance3 3,402,409 994,850 +2,407,559 0
Pandemic Emergency UC4 79,538 52,305 +27,233 0
Extended Benefits5 434 325 +109 0
State Additional Benefits6 6,527 4,962 +1,565 6,024
STC / Workshare 7 122,458 88,532 +33,926 9,638
TOTAL8 25,363,208 18,919,431 +6,443,777 1,659,123