Pennsylvania's Employment Situation for January 2012

HARRISBURG, Pa., March 1, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 7.6 percent in January, down from 7.7 percent in December 2011. Pennsylvania's unemployment rate was below the U.S. rate of 8.3 percent, and has been below the U.S. rate for 45 consecutive months, and at or below the U.S. rate for 62 consecutive months.

The state's unemployment rate was down 0.4 percentage points from January 2011.

Pennsylvania's seasonally adjusted civilian labor force – the number of people working or looking for work – was down 7,000 in January to 6,381,000. Resident employment was down 2,000 to 5,896,000, and the number of unemployed residents fell 4,000 to 485,000. Pennsylvania's labor force was 19,000 below its January 2011 level.

Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs in Pennsylvania were down 9,000 in January to 5,703,800. The January drop followed a December gain of 8,700 jobs. Goods producing industries added 8,900 jobs in January with increases in all three supersectors. Losses were concentrated in service providing industries, which declined 17,900 over the month. Education & health services made up a large portion of the decline, down 14,600 in January.

Pennsylvania's job count was up 37,200 (0.7 percent) over the year while national total nonfarm jobs were up 1,953,000 (1.5 percent).

A breakdown of Pennsylvania's employment statistics is available on the Department of Labor & Industry's website at www.dli.state.pa.us.

Media contact: Christopher Manlove, 717-787-7530

Editor's Note: Because the data included in each month's news release (primarily civilian labor force and nonfarm jobs data) are sample-based, the data are subject to revisions. Once each year, estimates are adjusted to new levels based on additional or revised information collected after the initial release of the data (called a benchmark). Additionally, seasonal adjustment factors for historic labor force and nonfarm jobs data are updated each year. Revisions to the labor force and nonfarm jobs series have been completed and are reflected in the January news release.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry