CRANSTON – Rhode Island’s economic recovery continued in March with the monthly unemployment rate dropping half a percentage point to 3.4%, the R.I. Department of Labor and Training said on Thursday.
Nonfarm payrolls in Rhode Island totaled 491,700 in March, an increase of 400 from the month before. These jobs exclude farming and some government, private and nonprofit workers.
The state’s unemployment rate was 3.9% in February and 6.0% in March 2021.
The number of unemployed Rhode Islanders – classified as residents actively seeking employment – decreased to 19,600 in March, a decline of 2,700 since February and a drop of 14,400 since March 2021.
Employed Rhode Islanders totaled 549,300 in March, an increase of 3,000 from February and up by 14,500 year over year.
The state labor force increased by 300 individuals in March to 568,900, up 100 from March 2021.
The DLT noted that compared with February 2020 – a month before the COVID-19 pandemic hit – the number of unemployed Rhode Island residents is down 1,400 and the number of employed state residents is down 1,500. There are 2,900 fewer state residents participating in the labor force than there were before the start of the pandemic, the DLT said.
Last month, the state’s manufacturing sector gained 100 jobs, food services and accommodations lost 200 jobs, and the construction sector added 400 jobs. The DLT said construction, manufacturing, professional and technical services, transportation and utilities, and wholesale trade reported more jobs in March 2022 than they had in February 2020, just before the pandemic shutdown.
Seasonally adjusted nonfarm payrolls in Rhode Island by sector in March:
- Health care and social assistance: 79,000, a decrease of 400 from February and increase of 1,000 year over year.
- Professional and technical services: 29,200, an increase of 100 from February and 2,000 year over year.
- Government: 63,600, a decrease of 200 from February and up 1,100 year over year.
- Retail trade: 47,200, an increase of 600 month to month and up 700 year over year.
- Accommodation and food services: 48,700, a decrease of 200 month to month and 6,500 year over year.
- Manufacturing: 39,900, a gain of 100 month to month and 1,500 year over year. Production workers in the sector earned $23.51 per hour in March, an increase of 30 cents from February and $2.68 from one year prior.
