PROVIDENCE – The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Rhode Island was 4.2 percent in June, an increase from May’s 4.1 percent, according to a Thursday statement by the R.I. Department of Labor and Training.
This marks a 1.2 percentage point drop in in the state’s seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate in a year-to-year comparison with June 2016.
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The national seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for June was 4.4 percent – an increase of 0.1 percentage points from 4.3 percent in May and a drop of 0.5 percentage points since June 2016.
June is the fifth consecutive month Rhode Island’s unemployment rate has been lower than the national measurement.
In June, there were 23,300 unemployed Rhode Islanders, a jump of 400 from May and a 6,800-individual drop from the figure in June 2016.
9,107 individuals collected unemployment insurance benefits in June, 39.2 percent of the total unemployed. Since June there are 9,800 fewer individuals collecting unemployment insurance benefits.
Nonfarm payroll in June totaled 496,600 – a gain of 200 jobs from May’s revised estimate of 496,400.
June saw 533,300 employed Rhode Island residents – which reflects a gain of 400 jobs since May and 10,700 from June 2016.
May 2017 job increases were recalculated adding 1,000 jobs and with the 200 added in May, according to a statement from Gov. Gina M. Raimondo’s office, Rhode Island has regained all of the jobs lost during the Great Recession.
“We’ve finally recovered all the jobs lost during the Great Recession. Since I took office, Rhode Island has created 14,000 jobs and our job count is now at an all-time high,” said the governor in a statement.
Showing an increase of 700 jobs from May and 3,800 from June 2016, Rhode Island’s labor force was 556,500 in June.
The Massachusetts seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 4.3 percent in June from 4.2 percent in May. There were 10,000 jobs added in June and 65,900 since June 2016.
Below is an industry-specific analysis of Rhode Island’s unemployment figures:
- Education Services: 800 jobs were added in June and 1,100 since June 2016
- Other Services: jumped by 500 jobs and added the same amount year-over-year
- Transportation and Utilities: 300 jobs were gained in June and added the same amount year-over-year
- Construction: the sector grew by 200 jobs in June and has added 2,400 since June 2016
- Arts, Entertainment & Recreation: 200 jobs were added in June and year-over-year employment is unchanged
- Financial Activities: 100 jobs were added in June and year-over-year employment held steady
- Health Care & Social Assistance: 700 jobs were lost in June but gained 200 since June 2016
- Retail Trade: 600 jobs were lost in June but 200 were gained year-over-year
- Manufacturing: 200 jobs were shed in June and 700 gained year-over-year
- Wholesale Trade: 200 jobs were dropped in June and 300 were gained since June 2016
- Professional and Business Services: 100 jobs were lost in June and 200 dropped since June 2016
- Accommodation and Food Services: 100 jobs were shed in June and 1,700 were added since June 2016
The number of jobs in the Government, Information and Mining and Logging sectors remained unchanged from May. The Information sector dropped 500 jobs since June 2016 while Government and Mining and Logging were unchanged over the year.
Production workers in the manufacturing industry earned $18.99 per hour in June, an increase of eight cents from May and 76 cents year-over-year.
For an average 39.4 hours per week, manufacturing employees worked three-tenths of an hour more in June and the same amount more than in June 2016.
Emily Gowdey-Backus is a staff writer for PBN. You can follow her on Twitter @FlashGowdey or contact her via email, gowdey-backus@pbn.com.
