R.I. unemployment rate, labor force, decline in April

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 6.3% in April, a decline from 7% in March and 17.4% one year prior, the R.I. Department of Labor and Training said Thursday.

The state unemployment rate was higher than the United States unemployment rate of 6.1% in April, which increased from 6% in March but was still well below the 14.8% rate in April 2020.

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Unemployed Rhode Islanders, individuals classified as available and actively seeking employment, totaled 33,900, a decline of 4,300 month to month and 60,800 year over year.

Employed Rhode Islanders totaled 505,800 in April, an increase of 2,400 from March, and a rise of 54,800 year over year.

The state’s labor force totaled 539,600 in April, a decline of 1,900 from March and 6,100 from April 2020. The DLT also said that there were 22,400 fewer residents participating in the labor force since the start of the pandemic in February 2020.

Rhode Island-based jobs totaled 467,600 in April, an increase of 400 month to month and a rise of 68,400 year over year. Nearly every sector in the state had reported job gains year over year, except for the information sector, mining and logging and government employment.

Employment by sector in Rhode Island in April:

• Health care and social assistance jobs totaled 76,400, a decline of 500 month to month and a rise of 10,400 year over year.
• Professional and business services jobs totaled 64,700, a rise of 300 month to month and 5,500 year over year.
• Government employment totaled 62,000, a rise of 400 month to month but a decline of 1,100 year over year.
• Retail trade jobs totaled 45,800, a decline of 800 month to month and a rise of 9,100 year over year.
• Accommodation and food services jobs totaled 41,900, a rise of 500 month to month and 21,900 year over year.
• Manufacturing employment totaled 38,500, a rise of 100 from March and 5,300 year over year. Production workers in the sector earned $21.16 per hour in April, a 33 cent increase from March and a 27 cent increase from April 2020. Employees in the sector worked an average of 38.5 hours per week for the month, an increase of an hour from March but a decline of 2.5 hours year over year.
• Financial activities jobs totaled 34,700, a rise of 100 month to month and 900 year over year.
• Educational services jobs totaled 24,000, a rose of 100 month to month and 200 year over year.
• Construction employment totaled 21,000, a rise of 500 month to month and 4,900 year over year.
• Other services employment totaled 20,700, a rise of 300 from March and 5,400 year over year.
• Wholesale trade jobs totaled 15,300, a decline of 100 month to month but a rise of 1,700 year over year.
• Transportation and utilities employment totaled 12,300, a decline of 400 month to month but a rise of 2,500 year over year.
• Arts, entertainment and recreation jobs totaled 5,200, a decline of 100 month to month but a rise of 1,800 from April 2020.
• Information sector employment totaled 4,900, level with one month prior and a decline of 100 year over year.
• Mining and logging jobs in the state totaled 200, level with March and April 2020 figures.