CRANSTON – Rhode Island’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.1% in September, up three-tenths of a percentage point from August, the R.I. Department of Labor and Training said on Thursday.
The number of unemployed Rhode Island residents in September was 17,700, an increase of 1,400 from August. But that number was down 13,200 compared to a year ago. At the same time, the number of employed Rhode Island residents also increased to 559,200, up 500 from the previous month and up 17,400 from 2021.
The DLT noted that the number of unemployed R.I. residents is down 82,600 since April 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, while the number of employed Rhode Island residents is up 113,100 from the same period.
In total, the labor force in the state was 576,900 in September, up 1,800 over the month and up 4,200 from September 2021. The state’s unemployment rate was 5.4% in September 2021, compared to the 3.1% of September 2022.
Rhode Island’s nonfarm jobs totaled 498,600 in September, an increase of 100 jobs from August. The number of private-sector jobs went up by 1,300 in September, while the public sector reported a loss of 1,200 jobs.
Several sectors reported job growth since August. The administrative and waste services sector added 1,000 jobs in September, bringing its employment level to 29,300, the highest level since January 2020. This is up 1,100 over the year. The health care and social assistance sector gained 900 jobs in September, up 3,800 over the year.
Other sectors reported losses for the month. The government sector lost 1,200 jobs in September, with most losses reported in the local government educational services. Government jobs are up 200 over the year. The accommodation and food-services sector lost 300 jobs in the last month, but the sector had the largest over-the year-recovery, with its numbers up 4,000.
Other seasonally adjusted job numbers in Rhode Island by sector:
- Educational services added 400 jobs since August and 600 over the year.
- Financial activities added 300 jobs since August and lost 200 over the year.
- Wholesale trade added 100 jobs since August and 600 over the year.
- The professional and technical services sector lost 400 jobs in September, but it’s up 800 over the year.
- The arts and the entertainment and recreation sector lost 300 jobs since August.
- The information, management of companies, retail trade and transportation and utilities sectors each lost 100 jobs in September.
- Jobs remained unchanged in the construction, manufacturing, mining and logging and other services sectors.
