CRANSTON – Rhode Island’s seasonally adjusted unemployment in February was 3.9%, three-tenths of a percentage point higher than the previous month, the R.I. Department of Labor and Training said Thursday.
The DLT says the number of unemployed Rhode Islanders in February was 22,700, up 1,800 from January and 6,500 from a year ago. Also, the number of employed residents was at 557,900 as of February, up 300 from the previous month and 2,800 more than February 2023, according to the DLT.
Overall, the state’s labor force was 580,600 in February, up 2,100 from January and 9,400 from February 2023, the DLT said. Rhode Island’s unemployment rate in February 2023 was 2.8%.
The state’s total nonfarm jobs in February totaled 512,100, a decrease of 200 jobs from the revised January jobs figure of 512,300 and up 9,300 from February 2023. These jobs exclude farming and some government, private and nonprofit workers. The February loss of 200 jobs was the first monthly job loss since October 2023, according to the DLT.
The number of jobs in the accommodation and food services sector fell by 2,700 in February, the first monthly decline since July 2023, the DLT said. Five additional employment sectors: construction, information, real estate, rental and leasing, management of companies and enterprises and other services, also reported minor job losses in February.
After shedding 1,000 jobs in January, state government rebounded by adding 1,300 jobs in February.
Seasonally adjusted nonfarm payrolls in Rhode Island by sector in December:
- Accommodation and food services: 51,900, a decrease of 2,700 since January but a gain of 1,000 year over year.
- Administrative and waste services: 29,800, an increase of 200 since January and of 1,000 year over year.
- Arts, entertainment and recreation: 8,700, an increase of 100 since January and of 900 year over year.
- Construction: 21,100, a decrease of 200 from January and of 500 year over year.
- Educational services: 27,000, an increase of 400 from January and of 100 year over year.
- Finance and insurance: 28,400, same as January but down 100 a year over year.
- Government: 65,700, an increase of 1,500 from January and year over year.
- Health care and social assistance: 85,200, an increase of 300 from January and of 4,600 year over year.
- Information: 5,500, a decrease of 100 from January but down 400 year over year.
- Management of companies and enterprises: 10,700, a decrease of 100 from January of 300 year over year.
- Manufacturing: 40,900, same as January and up 300 year over year. Production workers in the sector earned $26.32 per hour in February, up 17 cents from January and $2.64 cents since February 2023.
- Professional, scientific and technical services: 31,000, up 400 from January and a gain of 1,300 year over year.
