PA Unemployment Rate Remains at 5.4% in August
HARRISBURG, Pa., Sept. 18, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry released its employment situation report for August 2015.
Pennsylvania's unemployment rate was 5.4 percent in August, unchanged from July. The state rate has now been at 5.4 percent for four consecutive months. Pennsylvania's rate was three-tenths of a percentage point above the U.S. rate of 5.1 percent, which was down two-tenths of a percentage point in August. The commonwealth's rate was also 5.4 percent in August 2014 while the national rate declined by a full percentage point over the year.
Pennsylvania's civilian labor force was down 12,000 in August to 6,415,000. Both resident employment and unemployment were down modestly.
Total nonfarm jobs were down 2,900 in August to 5,855,700. Private sector jobs were down 8,300 while public sector jobs rose 5,400. Education & health services and government showed noticeable gains in August, while leisure & hospitality and other services showed the largest single-month declines.
Over the year, total nonfarm jobs in Pennsylvania were up 57,300 (+1.0%). The growth was concentrated within private service-providing industries, with the largest gains in education & health services and trade, transportation & utilities. Construction jobs, though relatively unchanged in August, were up 8,900 from a year ago.
Note: The above data are seasonally adjusted. Seasonally adjusted data provide the most valid month-to-month comparison.
MEDIA CONTACT: Sara Goulet, 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 |
|||||||
| August |
July |
August |
July 2015 |
August 2014 |
||||
| volume |
percent |
volume |
percent |
|||||
| PA |
||||||||
| Civilian Labor Force |
6,415 |
6,427 |
6,358 |
-12 |
-0.2% |
57 |
0.9% |
|
| Employment |
6,071 |
6,078 |
6,015 |
-7 |
-0.1% |
56 |
0.9% |
|
| Unemployment |
344 |
349 |
343 |
-5 |
-1.4% |
1 |
0.3% |
|
| Rate |
5.4 |
5.4 |
5.4 |
0.0 |
---- |
0.0 |
---- |
|
| U.S. |
||||||||
| Civilian Labor Force |
157,065 |
157,106 |
156,018 |
-41 |
0.0% |
1,047 |
0.7% |
|
| Employment |
149,036 |
148,840 |
146,451 |
196 |
0.1% |
2,585 |
1.8% |
|
| Unemployment |
8,029 |
8,266 |
9,568 |
-237 |
-2.9% |
-1,539 |
-16.1% |
|
| Rate |
5.1 |
5.3 |
6.1 |
-0.2 |
---- |
-1.0 |
---- |
|
Pennsylvania Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment
Seasonally Adjusted
(in thousands)
| Change from |
Change from |
||||||
| August |
July |
August |
July 2015 |
August 2014 |
|||
| volume |
percent |
volume |
percent |
||||
| Total Nonfarm Jobs |
5,855.7 |
5,858.6 |
5,798.4 |
-2.9 |
0.0% |
57.3 |
1.0% |
| Goods Producing Industries |
841.8 |
845.2 |
837.6 |
-3.4 |
-0.4% |
4.2 |
0.5% |
| Mining & Logging |
35.5 |
36.5 |
38.1 |
-1.0 |
-2.7% |
-2.6 |
-6.8% |
| Construction |
241.4 |
241.7 |
232.5 |
-0.3 |
-0.1% |
8.9 |
3.8% |
| Manufacturing |
564.9 |
567.0 |
567.0 |
-2.1 |
-0.4% |
-2.1 |
-0.4% |
| Service Providing Industries |
5,013.9 |
5,013.4 |
4,960.8 |
0.5 |
0.0% |
53.1 |
1.1% |
| Trade, Transportation & Utilities |
1,127.7 |
1,130.6 |
1,112.4 |
-2.9 |
-0.3% |
15.3 |
1.4% |
| Information |
86.4 |
84.4 |
84.9 |
2.0 |
2.4% |
1.5 |
1.8% |
| Financial Activities |
320.3 |
321.8 |
316.1 |
-1.5 |
-0.5% |
4.2 |
1.3% |
| Professional & Business Services |
765.6 |
767.2 |
762.0 |
-1.6 |
-0.2% |
3.6 |
0.5% |
| Education & Health Services |
1,201.8 |
1,195.7 |
1,182.6 |
6.1 |
0.5% |
19.2 |
1.6% |
| Leisure & Hospitality |
543.8 |
547.0 |
537.7 |
-3.2 |
-0.6% |
6.1 |
1.1% |
| Other Services |
254.1 |
257.9 |
254.8 |
-3.8 |
-1.5% |
-0.7 |
-0.3% |
| Government |
714.2 |
708.8 |
710.3 |
5.4 |
0.8% |
3.9 |
0.5% |
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.paworkstats.pa.gov
Note: September 2015 labor force and nonfarm jobs statistics will be released October 16, 2015.
SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry
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