The Louisiana Workforce Commission says initial unemployment insurance claims filed for the week that ended May 2 decreased to 2,498 from the previous week’s total of 2,737, but were above the 2,273 claims filed for the year-earlier week that ended May 3, 2014.
The four-week moving average of initial claims—considered a less volatile measure than comparing one week’s claims to the next—increased to 2,772 from the previous week’s average of 2,722.
LWC says in a news release issued this morning that the construction sector saw the largest decrease in initial claims, followed by transportation equipment and retail trade. Mining, which includes oil and gas exploration and extraction workers, also saw a drop in initial claims. Others working in the oil and gas support services are spread among various sectors.
Continued unemployment insurance claims for the week ended May 2, decreased to 22,639 from the previous week’s total of 22,809, but were above the 18,926 figure for the year-earlier week ended May 3, 2014.
The four-week moving average of continued weeks claimed increased to 22,425 from the previous week’s average of 22,099.
In April, the total number of people who filed a claim for regular unemployment insurance in Louisiana and received at least one check decreased to 21,355, down slightly from 21,792 during the month previous.
