R.I. unemployment rate holds steady at 5.6% in September

THE R.I. Department of Labor and Training said the September unemployment rate was 5.6 percent, unchanged from August and September 2015's rate.
THE R.I. Department of Labor and Training said the September unemployment rate was 5.6 percent, unchanged from August and September 2015's rate.

PROVIDENCE – The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.6 percent in September from August, and similarly unmoved from the September 2015 rate, according to a Thursday release from the R.I. Department of Labor and Training.

Nationally, the unemployment rate in September was 5 percent, representing an increase of one-tenth of one percentage point increase from August and a decrease of the same amount from September 2015.

Rhode Island-based jobs, which totaled 490,200 in September, dipped by 900 since August. Since September 2015, the Rhode Island economy has added 5,300 jobs.

Employed Rhode Island residents increased by 400 in September to 526,300 from August, which shows a 3,800-person increase from September 2015.

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The state’s labor force increased by 500 in September 2016 to 557,400 from the previous month, an increase of 3,600 people from September 2015.

In addition, the number of unemployed Rhode Island residents increased by 100 to 31,100 since August. This represents 100 fewer unemployed people than in September 2015. There were 7,298 individuals collecting unemployment insurance in September 2016, 25.8 percent of the state’s total unemployed, which is down 400 from last year.

Last month marked the second consecutive month of job loss for a total of 1,300 positions. The government sector lost 700 jobs in September, the majority of jobs (However, that sector gained 300 jobs from September 2015); another 200 jobs were lost in the private sector in September.

September also saw a loss in the educational services industry (down 1,100), the second time this year that amount has been lost by the sector, but the total is up 200 from the year before. Health care and social assistance fell by 900 jobs last month, the largest month-to-month loss since January 2000. The sector is down 200 jobs since September 2015. Professional business services lost 700 jobs in September compared with August, but increased by 1,500 since September 2015.

Manufacturing lost 200 jobs over the month, but has increased by 500 from September 2015, other services lost 300 jobs last month but is up 200 year-to-year, information is down 100 over the month, and down 300 from September 2015 and transportation and utilities fell 100 since August, but gained 100 jobs year-to-year.

Manufacturing workers earned $18.44 per hour in September, 20 cents higher than the prior month and $1.16 higher year over year. On average, they worked 39.4 hours per week last month, an increase of 1.2 hours from August, but a three-tenths of an hour dip from September 2015.

Accommodation and food services saw an increase of 1,800 jobs since last month and 600 jobs were added to both the arts, entertainment and recreation, and retail trade sectors in September.

Two hundred jobs were added to the wholesale trade sector in September and employment was unchanged in the construction, financial activities and mining and logging sectors in September compared with August.

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