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Initial and continued unemployment claims data from the department of Labor, chart by Mish.

On Thursday, the US Department of Labor released Unemployment Claims for the week ending May 29, 2025.

Initial Unemployment Claims

• In the week ending May 24, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 240,000, an increase of 14,000 from the previous week’s revised level. The previous week’s level was revised down by 1,000 from 227,000 to 226,000.
• The 4-week moving average was 230,750, a decrease of 250 from the previous week’s revised average. The previous week’s average was revised down by 500 from 231,500 to 231,000.

Initial Claims and 4-Week Average

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Initial unemployment claims data from the department of Labor, chart by Mish.

Continued Unemployment Claims

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Continued unemployment claims data from the Department of Labor, chart by Mish.

Continued Claims

• The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 17 was 1,919,000, an increase of 26,000 from the previous week’s revised level. This is the highest level for insured unemployment since November 13, 2021 when it was 1,970,000. The previous week’s level was revised down by 10,000 from 1,903,000 to 1,893,000.
• The 4-week moving average was 1,890,250, an increase of 2,750 from the previous week’s unrevised average of 1,887,500. This is the highest level for this average since November 27, 2021 when it was 1,923,500.

DOGE Impact on Claims

• Initial claims for UI benefits filed by former Federal civilian employees totaled 610 in the week ending May 17, an increase of 15 from the prior week. There were 374 initial claims filed by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 4 from the preceding week.
• There were 6,378 continued weeks claimed filed by former Federal civilian employees the week ending May 10, a decrease of 96 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 4,569, an increase of 188 from the prior week.

DOGE Layoffs

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Image from layoffs.fyi

Those who voluntarily quit got up to 8 months of paid leave and are ineligible for unemployment claims.

Litigation impacts those who were fired.

I expect unemployment has bottomed and we will start to see significant increases in continued claims.

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