CRANSTON – Rhode Island’s uneven economic recovery continued in January, with the monthly unemployment rate dipping three-tenths of a percentage point to 4.2%, according to the R.I. Department of Labor and Training.
The state’s unemployment rate was 6.3% in January 2021.
The number of unemployed Rhode Islanders decreased in January from the previous month, while the number of employed residents increased. However, the state’s labor force shrank from December to January by 800.
The national unemployment rate in January was 4%, an increase from 3.9% in December but a decline from 6.4% in January 2021.
Rhode Island’s jobs report:
The number of unemployed Rhode Islanders – classified as residents actively seeking employment – decreased by 1,800 month to month to 23,900. The latter is a decline of 11,700 from January 2021.
Employed Rhode Islanders totaled 544,500 in January, an increase of 1,000 from December and up by 15,600 year over year.
The state labor force shrunk by 800 individuals from December, to 568,800. But the latter marks a gain of 3,200 from January 2021.
The department also said there are 3,000 fewer residents working in the labor force than before the pandemic started.
Nonfarm payrolls in Rhode Island totaled 486,700 in January, a decrease of 1,300 month to month.
The state’s manufacturing sector lost 500 jobs in January, the first over-the-month lose since April 2020. Food and accommodations lost 800 jobs. The construction sector lost 400 jobs in January, its second consecutive monthly 400 job loss.
Seasonally adjusted nonfarm payrolls in Rhode Island by sector in January:
- Health care and social assistance: 78,500, an increase of 200 from December and 1,500 year over year.
- Professional and technical services: 28,800, an increase of 500 from December and 2,000 year over year.
- Government: 63,100, an increase of 100 from December and up 900 year over year.
- Retail trade: 45,700, a decrease of 200 month to month and loss of 300 year over year.
- Accommodation and food services: 47,400, a loss of 800 month to month and 7,000 year over year.
- Manufacturing: 39,500, a loss of 500 month to month and 1,500 year over year. Production workers in the sector earned $23.30 per hour in January, am increase of 43 cents from December but up $2.75 from one year prior. Workers in the industry worked an average of 40.1 hours per week for the month, a decrease of one-tenth of an hour month to month and 3.5 hours from one year prior.
- Financial activities: 34,800, level month to month and down 400 year over year.
- Educational services: 24,100, an increase of 200 from November and a decrease of 500 year over year.
- Construction: 19,800, a decrease of 400 month to month but an increase of 200 year over year.
- Other services: 22,100, an increase of 200 from December and an increase of 2,300 year over year.
- Wholesale trade: 16,100, a loss of 100 month to month and 900 year over year.
- Transportation and utilities: 13,400, an increase of 100 month to month and a rise of 200 year over year.
- Arts, entertainment and recreation: 6,500, a decrease of 200 from December and up 500 year over year.
- Information: 5,800, level month to month and down 600 year over year.
- Mining and logging: 200, unchanged from December and down 100 year over year.
