PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island unemployment rate declined 4 percentage points month to month in June to 12.4% but remained significantly higher than the 3.6% of June 2019, according to data released by the R.I. Department of Labor and Training Thursday.
The month-to-month increase was attributed to the partial reopening of the economy following shutdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The United States unemployment rate in June was 11.1%, a decline from 13.3% one month prior but an increase from 3.7% in June 2019.
There were 68,000 unemployed Rhode Islanders for the month, an increase of 48,400 year over year but a month-to-month decline of 17,400.
The number of employed Rhode Islanders totaled 481,500, a decline from 534,500 one year prior but an increase of 44,800 from May.
The state labor force declined by 4,700 year over year to 549,800 but increased by 27,300 from May.
Nonfarm employment in Rhode Island totaled 443,600 in June, a decline of 59,200 jobs year over year but an increase of 21,000 jobs from May.
All sectors in the state posted year-over-year declines in June.
Sector by sector employment in Rhode Island in June (in order of the number of employed):
- Health care and social assistance: 74,000 jobs, a decline of 8,200 year over year but an increase of 4,600 month to month.
- Professional and business services: 60,800 jobs, a decline of 7,200 year over year but an increase of 1,300 month to month.
- Government: 60,600 jobs, a decline of 4,500 year over year and 3,200 month to month.
- Retail trade: 45,100 jobs, a decline of 2,800 year over year but an increase of 3,900 month to month.
- Manufacturing: 38,100 jobs, a decline of 1,800 year over year but an increase of 500 month to month. Manufacturing hours for employees declined 1.2 hours year over year to 37.2 hours per week but increased 2.3 hours month to month. Production workers earned an average of $19.91 per hour, a 6-cent increase from one year prior but a 75-cent decline from May.
- Financial activities: 34,600 jobs, a decline of 800 over the year but an increase of 500 month to month.
- Accommodation and food services: 33,600 jobs, a decline of 18,400 year over year but an increase of 8,400 from May.
- Educational services: 26,000 jobs, a decline of 200 from June 2019 but an increase of 2,100 month to month.
- Construction: 18,000 jobs, a decline of 1,900 year over year but an increase of 100 month to month.
- Other services: 17,400 jobs, a decline of 5,800 year over year but an increase of 1,400 month to month.
- Wholesale trade: 15,200 jobs, a decline of 1,300 jobs year over year and 200 month to month.
- Transportation and utilities: 9,900 jobs, a decline of 2,600 year over year but an increase of 100 from May.
- Information: 5,300 jobs, a decline of 500 year over year and level with May figures.
- Arts, entertainment and recreation: 4,700 jobs, a decline of 3,200 year over year but an increase of 1,400 month to month.
- Mining and logging: 300 jobs, level from one year prior and an increase of 100 month to month.
