PROVIDENCE – For a third consecutive month in February, Rhode Island’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held at 4.5 percent, per a report released by the Department of Labor and Training Thursday.
In addition to being third month in a row with no movement on the jobless rate in the Ocean State, the 4.5 percent rate was the same as in February 2017.
Unemployment across the nation in February remained at 4.1 percent from January and has fallen from the 4.7 percent measure of a year earlier.
The number of unemployed Rhode Islanders grew by 100 from January to February to 25,300 and by 400 from February 2017. But since the state’s labor force grew month to month by 700 and by 4,400 year over year to 557,300, the jobless rate remained the same.
Unemployment insurance benefits were collected by 13,959 individuals, or 47.6 percent of the total unemployed, in February – 1,128 less than in February 2017.
Nonfarm payroll was measured at 498,900 in February, which represents a gain of 1,200 jobs since January and a 6,300-job bump from a year earlier.
Below is a sector-by-sector job breakdown for significant sectors in Rhode Island:
- Professional and Business Services: 600 jobs were added in February and 2,100 over the year
- Accommodation and Food Services: 500 jobs were added in February and 400 year over year
- Wholesale Trade: 400 jobs were added in February but the sector lost 100 over the year
- Financial Activities: 200 jobs were added in February while 900 were added from February 2017
- Other Services: 200 jobs were added in February and 400 in the last 12 months
- Construction: 100 jobs were added in February and 400 year over year
- Transportation & Utilities: 100 jobs were added in February and 200 over the year
- Information: Employment was unchanged in February and 400 jobs were over the year
- Retail Trade: Employment was also unchanged in February but 200 jobs were lost year over year
- Manufacturing: 100 jobs were lost in February but 900 were added over the 12-month period
- Government: 100 jobs were lost in February while 100 were added year over year
- Arts, Entertainment & Recreation: 100 jobs were lost in February and 200 over the year
- Health Care & Social Assistance: 300 jobs were lost in February but 1,600 were added from February 2017
- Education Services: 300 jobs were lost in February while 200 were added year over year
Employment in the mining and logging sector remained unchanged in February and from February 2017. Construction sector employment, at 19,200, is at its highest since November 2008.
Production workers in the manufacturing sector earned $18.87 per hour in February – a loss of 13 cents from January but a gain of 27 cents over the year. Last month they worked an average 40.7 hours per week, an amount which has held steady since January and increased by 36 minutes over the year.
Emily Gowdey-Backus is a staff writer for PBN. You can follow her on Twitter @FlashGowdey or contact her via email, gowdey-backus@pbn.com.
