Week Ending May 2, 2009. There were 1,104 new regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance last week, a decrease of 397 from the week before. Altogether 18,005 new and continuing claims were filed, 425 less than a week ago and 8,237 more than a year earlier. The Department also processed 2,265 First Tier claims for benefits under Emergency Unemployment Compensation, 2008 (EUC08), 143 more than a week ago. In addition, there were 1,342 Second Tier claims for benefits processed under the EUC08 program which is an increase of 43 from the week before. The Unemployment Weekly Report can be found at: http://www.vtlmi.info/. Previously released Unemployment Weekly Reports and other UI reports can be found at: http://www.vtlmi.info/lmipub.htm#uc