PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 4.1 percent in May from 4.3 percent in April according to a statement released Thursday by the R.I. Department of Labor and Training.
Since May 2016, the state’s unemployment rate has also decreased, falling 1.3 percentage points from 5.4 percent.
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Gov. Gina M. Raimondo was pleased with the DLT report. “Two and a half years ago, we started the difficult work to get Rhode Island’s economy moving again. For most of the year before I took office, our unemployment rate was the highest in America. It’s now 4.1 percent, 0.2 percentage points below the national average” said Raimondo in a press release. “We must protect the progress and investments we’ve made in recent years, otherwise we risk falling back on the hard times we knew too well in the early 2010s.”
Nationwide, May’s unemployment rate was 4.3 percent, a dip of 0.1 percentage points from April and 0.4 percentage points from May 2016.
May marks the fourth consecutive month Rhode Island’s unemployment rate has been lower than the national measurement.
There were 532,700 employed residents in May – an increase of 1,100 from April and 10,200 year-to-year. Rhode Island’s labor force held steady at 555,500 last month from April and gained 2,900 jobs compared to May 2016.
There were 22,900 unemployed Rhode Islanders in May. This is a 1,000-person decrease from April and is 7,200 fewer individuals than in May 2016.
Unemployment insurance benefits were collected by 8,216 individuals in May, 41 percent of the total unemployed, representing a 370-person decrease since May 2016.
Nonfarm payroll totaled 495,400 jobs in May illustrating a 600-job gain from April revised measurement (494,800). There were 7,100 more jobs in Rhode Island last month than in May 2016.
The Bay State’s unemployment rate experienced a 0.3-percentage-point increase in May, bringing the total to 4.2 percent. Since May 2016, the Massachusetts unemployment rate has grown by 0.4 percentage points from 3.8 percent.
Below is an industry-specific analysis of Rhode Island’s unemployment figures:
- Accommodation & Food Services: 1,000 jobs were added in May, marking a 1,700-job jump from May 2016
- Other Services: 500 jobs were gained in May and the year-to-year comparison shows an increase of 200 from May 2016
- Health Care & Social Assistance: 400 jobs were added in May marking a 500-job increase year-to-year
- Construction: 300 jobs were gained in May marking a growth of 2,300 jobs over the year
- Education Services: 200 jobs were added in May reflecting a 400-job increase over the year
- Information: 100 jobs were added in May translating to a 300-job increase since May 2016
- Professional & Business Services: 700 jobs were dropped in May, but the sector has gained 100 jobs from May 2016
- Arts, Entertainment & Recreation: 600 jobs were lost in May and the sector has dropped 400 compared to May 2016
- Financial Activities: 200 jobs were lost in May marking a 100-job loss from May 2016
- Retail Trade: May saw 200 jobs dropped but 500 jobs have been picked up compared to the May 2016 total
- Manufacturing: 100 jobs were lost in May but year-to-year comparison shows a 600-job jump from May 2016
- Transportation & Utilities: May saw 100 jobs lost which means the industry is even with the May 2016 total
The number of jobs in the government, mining and logging and wholesale trade sectors remained unchanged from April. The government and wholesale trade sectors each gained 500 jobs year-to-date whereas mining & logging remained the same from May 2016 as well.
Manufacturing production workers earned $18.85 per hour – a drop of 10 cents from April but an increase of 88 cents year-to-year. Sector employees worked an average 39.1 hours each week in May, a decline of 0.4 hours since April but an hour increase compared to May 2016.
Emily Gowdey-Backus is a staff writer for PBN. You can follow her on Twitter @FlashGowdey.
