R.I. jobless rate unchanged in September

PROVIDENCE – The unemployment rate for Rhode Island for September remained unchanged at 7.6 percent compared with August, according to data released Thursday by the R.I. Department of Labor and Training.
The August figure, originally reported at 7.7 percent, by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, has been revised and finalized at 7.6 percent, the DLT said, to the lowest rate reported since June of 2008.
The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 9.5 percent in September 2013.
Nationally, the September unemployment rate registered 5.9 percent, two-tenths of a percentage point less than the August figure, and one and three-tenths percentage points less compared with a year ago.
The state’s labor force declined by 700 to 555,800 this past September, compared with August, but was up 2,600 compared with September a year ago.
The number of Rhode Island based jobs increased by 400 in September compared with the month prior, and is up 5,900 compared with a year ago.
In other favorable news, the number of unemployed Rhode Island residents was down by 300 to 42,300 compared with August, representing the 14th consecutive month-to-month decrease and the lowest unemployment level since May of 2008. Likewise, compared with a year ago, the number of unemployed dropped by 10,400.
The number of individuals collecting unemployment benefits dropped to 9,081 in September, compared with 10,522 a year ago. Unemployed claimants accounted in September for 22.5 percent of the total unemployed.
While the number of employed Rhode Island residents was down 500 from August, settling in at 513,400, the number was up compared with a year ago by 12,900.
Other statistics in August also have been revised by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Estimated nonfarm payroll in the state increased by 400 jobs to 478,900 in September from the revised August employment estimate of 478,500. The third quarter of 2014 ended with three consecutive months of job gains totaling 2,300, of which 2,200 were generated in the private sector, DLT reported. The bureau also determined that jobs were higher in August than originally estimated, resulting in a gain of 700 instead of 100 jobs between July and August.
Seasonal growth occurred in educational services by 1,800 jobs as local colleges and universities returned to the classroom for the fall.
Year over year, nonfarm unemployment increased by 5,900 as job gains appeared in 10 sectors, the biggest being professional and business services (+1,900). Other gains included financial activities, up 1,000; manufacturing, and accommodation and food services, both up 800; construction, up 600; educational services and transportation and utilities both up 500; retail and arts, entertainment and recreation both up 300; and health care and social assistance, up 200.
Declining compared with a year ago were government, -400; wholesale trade, -300; information, -200, and other services, -100. Mining and logging employment remained unchanged.
Other positive gains month to month were reported in financial activities (+200), and an additional 100 in the sectors of transportation and utilities; arts, entertainment and recreation; and health care and social assistance. Remaining unchanged were accommodations and food services, wholesale trade, and mining and logging.
Losses of 500 jobs each were reported in professional and business services , and in the retail trade, while the manufacturing and government sectors lost 300 jobs each. Construction, Information and Other Service sectors each lost 100 jobs.

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  1. For a more detailed picture of the overall situation; Try going to
    http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t15.htm and/or http://www.bls.gov/lau/stalt.htm One is updated monthly, the other one quarterly….jkp