R.I. unemployment rate declines to 5.2% in Sept.

PROVIDENCE – The unemployment rate in Rhode Island was 5.2% in September, a decline from 5.8% in August and 10.9% one year prior, the R.I. Department of Labor and Training said Thursday.

A spokesperson for the DLT said that both the estimates for Rhode Island resident employment and labor force are expected to be revised downward during its annual benchmarking process, as the department’s “Labor Market Information unit does not believe those estimates are reflective of current conditions in the state when compared to other measures.”

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A downward revision of the state’s labor force would translate to an increase in its unemployment rate for the month, unless accompanied by a proportional downward revision in the number of unemployed residents in the state.

Those figures are as follows:

• The state’s labor force was estimated to be 577,228, a sharp rise of 42,555 from August, and a rise of 19,505 from one year prior. 
• The number of employed Rhode Island residents was estimated to have totaled 547,116 in September, a rise of 43,330 month to month and 50,087 year over year.

The United States unemployment rate in September was 4.8%, a decline from 5.2% one month prior and 7.8% in September 2020.

Unemployed Rhode Islanders totaled 30,100 in September, a decline of 800 month to month and 30,600 year over year. The department said that the number of unemployed Rhode Islanders had increased by 7,900 from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to September.

Rhode Island-based jobs totaled 480,300 in September, a rise of 2,000 month to month and 17,700 year over year.

Sector by sector breakdown of nonfarm employment in the state in September:

• Health care and social assistance: 77,700, a decline of 400 month to month and a rise of 1,100 year over year.
• Government: 66,000, a rise of 3,400 month to month and 3,600 year over year.
• Professional and business services: 65,300, a rise of 600 from August but a decline of 100 year over year.
• Retail trade: 46,000, a rise of 100 month to month and 1,200 year over year.
• Accommodation and food services: 45,100, level with August and a rise of 4,100 year over year.
• Manufacturing: 40,100, a rise of 200 month to month and 2,600 year over year. Production workers in the sector earned $22.44 per hour in September, a decline of 25 cents from August, but a rise of $1.98 year over year. Employees worked an average of 39.2 hours per week, a decline of 0.1 hours from August but a rise of 1.5 hours from September 2020.
• Financial activities: 34,100, a decline of 300 from August and a decline of 100 year over year.
• Educational services: 24,100, level with August and a rise of 500 year over year.
• Construction: 21,100, a decline of 100 month to month and a rise of 2,000 year over year.
• Other services: 20,200, a decline of 100 from August and a rise of 400 year over year.
• Wholesale trade: 16,200, a rise of 300 from August and an increase of 1,300 year over year.
• Transportation and utilities: 13,000, level with August and a rise of 600 year over year.
• Arts, recreation and entertainment: 6,100, a decline of 1,700 month to month but a rise of 500 year over year.
• Information: 5,100, unchanged from August and September 2020.
• Mining and logging: 200, unchanged from August and September 2020.