April PA Unemployment Rate Increases to 4.9%
HARRISBURG, Pa., May 19, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry released its employment situation report for April 2017.
Pennsylvania's unemployment rate was up one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.9 percent in April. This was the first increase following four consecutive declines. The commonwealth's rate remained above that of the United States (4.4%), which decreased one-tenth of a percentage point from March. Over the year, the Pennsylvania unemployment rate declined by six-tenths of a percentage point, matching the national 12-month change.
Pennsylvania's civilian labor force was up 22,000 over the month to 6,464,000. Resident employment increased by 18,000 while the unemployment count expanded by 4,000. April was the first month since August 2016 to show an increase in resident unemployment.
Pennsylvania's nonfarm jobs count was down 5,400 to 5,924,400 in April. Seven of the eleven supersectors declined from March, with the largest drop in education & health services (-4,600). The largest volume gain was in professional & business services (+3,400), which set a new record high.
Total nonfarm jobs in Pennsylvania were up 0.8 percent (+45,300) from last April while nationally jobs were up 1.6 percent. Seven supersectors added jobs over the year. The largest increase over the past 12 months was in education & health services (+31,200), while the largest decline was in manufacturing (-8,900).
Note: The above data are seasonally adjusted. Seasonally adjusted data provide the most valid month-to-month comparison.
MEDIA CONTACT: Theresa Elliot, 717-787-7530
Editor's Note: A breakdown of Pennsylvania's employment statistics follows.
| Current Labor Force Statistics |
|||||||
| Seasonally Adjusted |
|||||||
| (in thousands) |
|||||||
| Change from |
Change from |
||||||
| April |
March |
April |
March 2017 |
April 2016 |
|||
| 2017 |
2017 |
2016 |
volume |
percent |
volume |
percent |
|
| PA |
|||||||
| Civilian Labor Force |
6,464 |
6,442 |
6,440 |
22 |
0.3% |
24 |
0.4% |
| Employment |
6,149 |
6,131 |
6,088 |
18 |
0.3% |
61 |
1.0% |
| Unemployment |
315 |
311 |
352 |
4 |
1.3% |
-37 |
-10.5% |
| Rate |
4.9 |
4.8 |
5.5 |
0.1 |
---- |
-0.6 |
---- |
| U.S. |
|||||||
| Civilian Labor Force |
160,213 |
160,201 |
158,938 |
12 |
0.0% |
1,275 |
0.8% |
| Employment |
153,156 |
153,000 |
151,028 |
156 |
0.1% |
2,128 |
1.4% |
| Unemployment |
7,056 |
7,202 |
7,910 |
-146 |
-2.0% |
-854 |
-10.8% |
| Rate |
4.4 |
4.5 |
5.0 |
-0.1 |
---- |
-0.6 |
---- |
| Pennsylvania Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment |
|||||||
| Seasonally Adjusted |
|||||||
| (in thousands) |
|||||||
| Change from |
Change from |
||||||
| April |
March |
April |
March 2017 |
April 2016 |
|||
| 2017 |
2017 |
2016 |
volume |
percent |
volume |
percent |
|
| Total Nonfarm Jobs |
5,924.4 |
5,929.8 |
5,879.1 |
-5.4 |
-0.1% |
45.3 |
0.8% |
| Goods Producing Industries |
819.2 |
823.6 |
825.9 |
-4.4 |
-0.5% |
-6.7 |
-0.8% |
| Mining & Logging |
23.4 |
23.3 |
25.5 |
0.1 |
0.4% |
-2.1 |
-8.2% |
| Construction |
245.0 |
245.9 |
240.7 |
-0.9 |
-0.4% |
4.3 |
1.8% |
| Manufacturing |
550.8 |
554.4 |
559.7 |
-3.6 |
-0.6% |
-8.9 |
-1.6% |
| Service Providing |
5,105.2 |
5,106.2 |
5,053.2 |
-1 |
0.0% |
52 |
1.0% |
| Trade, Transportation & |
1,129.0 |
1,129.9 |
1,127.7 |
-0.9 |
-0.1% |
1.3 |
0.1% |
| Information |
83.4 |
83.7 |
85.2 |
-0.3 |
-0.4% |
-1.8 |
-2.1% |
| Financial Activities |
317.4 |
318.5 |
316.7 |
-1.1 |
-0.3% |
0.7 |
0.2% |
| Professional & Business |
804.1 |
800.7 |
793.3 |
3.4 |
0.4% |
10.8 |
1.4% |
| Education & Health |
1,246.0 |
1,250.6 |
1,214.8 |
-4.6 |
-0.4% |
31.2 |
2.6% |
| Leisure & Hospitality |
565.3 |
563.6 |
557.2 |
1.7 |
0.3% |
8.1 |
1.5% |
| Other Services |
260.1 |
258.4 |
257.4 |
1.7 |
0.7% |
2.7 |
1.0% |
| Government |
699.9 |
700.8 |
700.9 |
-0.9 |
-0.1% |
-1 |
-0.1% |
For a more detailed breakdown of seasonally adjusted jobs data at the sector level, please contact the Center for Workforce Information & Analysis at 1-877-4WF-DATA, or visit www.workstats.dli.pa.gov
Note: May 2017 labor force and nonfarm jobs statistics will be released June 16, 2017.
SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry
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