PROVIDENCE – The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in December was 8.1%, an increase from 7.3% in November, the R.I. Department of Labor and Training said Thursday.
The state’s unemployment rate was 1.4 percentage points higher than the national rate of 6.7% in December. Rhode Island’s unemployment rate was 3.5% in December 2019.
The number of unemployed Rhode Islanders totaled 44,000 in December, an increase of 4,600 month to month and a rise from 24,700 one year prior.
Employed Rhode Islanders totaled 498,400, a decline of 3,800 month to month and a decline from 537,600 one year prior.
Meanwhile, the state’s labor force totaled 542,400, an increase of 700 month to month and a decline of 14,500 year over year.
Nonfarm employment in the state declined 6,300 month to month, and 43,800 year over year to 461,900 in December. The DLT noted that the decline for the month coincided with the three-week “pause” ordered by Gov. Gina M. Raimondo in an effort to stem the spread of COVID-19.
Employment by sector in Rhode Island in December:
- Health care and social assistance: 77,700, a decline from 78,300 in November and 82,900 in December 2019.
- Professional and business services: 63,300, a decline of 400 month to month and 4,700 year over year
- Government: 62,500, a decline of 1,300 month to month and 3,300 year over year.
- Retail trade: 46,900, an increase of 300 month to month and a decline of 1,600 year over year.
- Manufacturing: 38,800, a decline of 200 month to month and 700 year over year.
- Accommodation and food services: 37,500, a decline of 3,300 month to month and 15,000 year over year. Manufacturing production workers earned $20.85 per hour in December, a 37 cent decline from November and an increase of $1.49 year over year. Employees in the sector worked an average of 38.8 hours per week in the month, an increase of 1.3 hours from November, but unchanged from one year prior.
- Financial activities: 35,500, a decline of 100 month to month and a rise of 100 year over year.
- Educational services: 24,300, a decline of 100 month to month and 2,300 year over year.
- Construction: 19,200, the same number as November and a decline of 300 year over year.
- Other services: 18,600, a decline of 700 from November and 3,900 year over year.
- Wholesale trade: 16,000, an increase of 200 month to month and a decline of 1,200 year over year.
- Transportation and utilities: 11,600, an increase of 400 month to month and a decline of 1,500 year over year.
- Information: 5,300, a decline of 100 month to month and 600 year over year.
- Arts, entertainment and recreation: 4,400, a decline of 400 month to month and 3,700 year over year.
- Mining and logging: 300, the same as November and an increase of 100 year over year.
