R.I. unemployment dips to 16.3% in May

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island’s May unemployment rate was 16.3%, a decline from a revised 18.1% in April but still much higher than the 3.6% from one year prior, the R.I. Department of Labor and Training said on Thursday.

The U.S. unemployment rate for May was 13.3%, a decline from 14.7% one month prior and 3.6% the previous year.

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Employed Rhode Islanders totaled 437,300 in May, an increase of 4,000 month to month but a decline of 96,900 year over year. The number of unemployed Rhode Islanders declined 10,900 month to month to 84,900. The latter is still a 64,800-person increase from May 2019. 

Meanwhile, the state labor force declined by 6,900 month to month in May, to 522,200. That marks a drop of 32,100 year over year.

Nonfarm employment in the state increased 13,100 month to month, which DLT said reflected Phase I reopenings, to 423,400 jobs. Payrolls declined 79,900 year over year in May.

Nearly every sector in Rhode Island recorded seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment declines year over year, but only five sectors reported losses month to month in May.

Employment by sector in May (in order of number employed):

• Health care: 69,300, a decline of 12,500 year over year but an increase of 1,200 month to month. The increase was primarily attributed to jobs in offices of dentists and offices of physicians.
• Government: 63,900, a decline of 1,100 jobs year over year and a dip of 400 month to month.
• Professional and business services: 59,500, a decline of 8,600 year over year but an increase of 2,200 month to month.
• Retail: 42,100, a 5,800-job decline year over year but the sectors added 3,000 jobs month to month. The gains were attributed to jobs at department stores, motor vehicle and parts dealers and building material and garden-supply stores. 
• Manufacturing: 37,300 jobs, a decline of 2,500 year over year and an increase of 100 month to month. Manufacturing production workers earned an average of $20.56 per hour, an increase of 97 cents year over year. Workers worked an average of 34.5 hours per week, a decline of 4.4 hours year over year.’
• Financial activities: Employed 34,200 in May, a 1,100-job decline year over year but an increase of 400 month to month.
• Accommodation and food services: 25,800 jobs, a decline of 26,200 year over year, but an increase of 7,000 month to month. Accommodation and food services was the hardest-hit sector in the state year over year. The increase coincided with the allowance of outdoor dining in the state.
• Educational services: 23,800 jobs, a decline of 3,500 year over year and an increase of 1,00 month to month.
• Construction: 17,600 jobs, a decline of 2,400 year over year, and a decline of 100 jobs month to month.
• Other services: 16,100 jobs, a decline of 7,100 year over year and an increase of 100 month to month.
• Wholesale trade: 15,400 jobs, a decline of 1,000 jobs year over year and a decline of 700 jobs from April.
• Transportation and utilities: Employed 9,700, a decline of 2,800 year over year and a decline of 600 month to month.
• Information: 5,200, a decline of both 600 year over year and 100 month to month.
• Arts, entertainment and recreation: 3,300, a decline of 4,700 year over year. No job gains were logged month to month. The DLT noted that in February, at the peak of job losses in the state due to the pandemic, the arts, entertainment and recreation sector had the largest share of jobs lost at 59.8%, followed by accommodation and food services’ decline of 51.3%.
• Mining and logging: 200, unchanged from the previous month and year.

Chris Bergenheim is the PBN web editor. You may reach him at Bergenheim@PBN.com.