CRANSTON – Rhode Island’s economic recovery is improving slightly from month to month, but is still lagging behind the U.S.
According to the R.I. Department of Labor and Training’s latest jobs report released Thursday, the state’s unemployment rate in December was 4.8%, a decrease by three-tenths of a percentage point from November, and a decline from 7.9% in December 2020.
From month to month, the number of unemployed Rhode Islanders decreased while the number of employed residents remained the same. However, the state’s labor force decreased from November to December.
The national unemployment rate in December was 3.9%, a decrease from 4.2% in November and a decline from 6.7% in December 2020.
Rhode Island’s jobs report:
The number of unemployed Rhode Islanders decreased by 1,700 month to month to 26,700, a decline from 42,800 in December 2020. Since April 2020, the number of unemployed Rhode Islanders has decreased by 68,000, the department said.
Employed Rhode Islanders totaled 525,500 in December, level from November, and up by 29,600 year over year. The number of employed Rhode Islanders has increased by 74,500 since April 2020.
The state labor force shrunk by 1,700 individuals from July, to 552,200, but had risen by 13,600 from December 2020. The department said there are 6,500 more residents participating in the state labor force from April 2020.
However, the department also said that since February 2020 – a month before the pandemic-related shutdowns – the number of unemployed Rhode Islanders is up 4,500 and the number employed residents is down by 14,300. There are 9,800 fewer residents working in the labor force than before the pandemic started, the department said.
Nonfarm payrolls in Rhode Island totaled 485,800 in December, an increase of 2,600 month to month and 28,000 year over year.
The state’s manufacturing sector recorded a 200-job increase month to month, while food and accommodations grew by 800 jobs. Year over year, food and accommodation, a particularly hard-hit industry in the pandemic, also added 8,900 jobs year to year. Government jobs increased by 3,000 year over year.
Seasonally adjusted nonfarm payrolls in Rhode Island by sector in December:
- Health care and social assistance: 78,800, an increase of 600 from November and 3,300 year over year
- Professional and business services: 65,700, an increase of 100 from November and 500 year over year
- Government: 64,400, down 100 from November and up 3,000 year over year
- Retail trade: 45,800, an increase of 200 month to month and up 200 year over year
- Accommodation and food services: 47,400, an increase of 800 month to month and 8,900 year over year
- Manufacturing: 41,100, an increase of 200 month to month and 3,700 year over year. Production workers in the sector earned $22.75 per hour in December, a decrease of 51 cents from November but up $1.91 from one year prior. Workers in the industry worked an average of 40.2 hours per week for the month, an increase of one hour month to month and 1.9 hours from one year prior.
- Financial activities: 34,200, level month to month and down 100 year over year
- Educational services: 23,600, an increase of 100 from November and an increase of 600 year over year
- Construction: 21,100, a decrease of 200 month to month but an increase of 1,400 year over year
- Other services: 21,300, an increase of 100 from July and an increase of 2,100 year over year
- Wholesale trade: 16,800, a rise of 400 month to month and 1,700 year over year
- Transportation and utilities: 13,800, an increase of 300 month to month and a rise of 1,300 year over year
- Arts, entertainment and recreation: 6,300, level from November and up 1,400 year over year
- Information: 5,300, up 100 from November and 300 year over year
- Mining and logging: 200, unchanged from November and December 2020
In a statement, Gov. Daniel J. McKee said the December jobs report is a sign that the state is rolling out “smart, effective initiatives” helping Rhode Islanders and businesses impacted by the pandemic are working.
“We know that getting people back to work is key to our economic recovery. Rhode Island is headed in the right direction, and it’s time to keep our foot on the pedal when it comes to investments and policies that bolster our workforce and help our small businesses,” McKee said.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
