R.I. unemployment rate ticks down to 7.1% in March

PROVIDENCE – The unemployment rate in Rhode Island in March was 7.1%, a decline from 7.3% in February but a rise from 4% one year prior, the R.I. Department of Labor and Training said Thursday.

The United States unemployment rate in March was 6%, a decline of two percentage points month to month but up from 4.4% one year prior.

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Unemployed Rhode Islanders totaled 38,000 in March, a decline of 1,000 from one month prior, and a rise of 15,500 year over year.

Employed Rhode Island residents totaled 503,400, a rise of 3,800 from February and a decline from 539,600 one year prior.

The state’s labor force totaled 541,600, a rise of 2,900 month to month and a decline of 20,700 year over year.

Nonfarm employment in the state totaled 466,900, a rise of 2,300 from February but a reduction of 35,100 year over year.

Rhode Island nonfarm payrolls by sector in March:

• Health care and social assistance: 76,800, a rise of 600 month to month but a decline of 600 year over year.
• Professional and business services: 64,500, a rise of 100 from February but a decline of 3,800 year over year.
• Government: 61,600, a decline of 400 month to month and 3,500 year over year.
• Retail trade: 46,400, a 200-worker increase month to month and a decline of 1,300 year over year.
• Accommodation and food services: 41,300, a rise of 500 from February but a decline of 8,900 year over year.
• Manufacturing: 38,300, a rise of 300 month to month and a decline of 1,300 year over year. Production workers in the sector earned $20.61 per hour in March, a decline of 32 cents from February but an increase of 71 cents from one year prior. Employees worked an average of 37.8 hours per week in March, a rise of one hour from February and 2.4 hours year over year.
• Financial activities: 34,600, a rise of 400 month to month and a decline of 800 year over year.
• Educational services: 23,900, a rise of 200 month to month but down 2,900 year over year.
• Other services: 20,500, a decline of 100 from February, and 2,200 year over year.
• Construction: 20,400, a rise of 500 month to month and 200 year over year.
• Wholesale trade: 15,400, a rise of 100 month to month and a decline of 300 year over year.
• Transportation and utilities: 12,700, unchanged from February and a decline of 900 year over year.
• Arts, entertainment and recreation: 5,400, unchanged from one month prior and a decline of 2,600 from a year ago.