PROVIDENCE – In a second consecutive month, Rhode Island’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate climbed 0.1 percent to 4.4 percent in December, according to a Thursday announcement by the R.I. Department of Labor and Training.
However, the Ocean State’s December measurement shows a 0.5 percent dip year-to-date.
Federal and State Nursing Home Staffing Mandates
Staffing has always been an ongoing challenge in the long-term care industry. However, since the…
Learn More
Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 4.1 percent in December – 0.6 percent lower than in December 2016.
The state’s nonfarm payroll estimated total fell to 497,300 in December, a drop of 600 jobs from November’s revised total (497,900). Year-to-date, the Rhode Island economy has added 6,000 jobs.
In a statement, Gov. Gina M. Raimondo said: “Rhode Island set new records for job count eight times last year, but we need to keep going with our commitment to job training to ensure that every Rhode Islander can keep up and get ahead.”
There were 530,300 employed Rhode Islanders in December – a loss of 500 individuals from November but a gain of 7,000 from December 2016.
One hundred more individuals were included in December’s labor force for a total 554,900 individuals also reflecting a jump from December 2016’s 550,600.
Five hundred more Rhode Islanders were unemployed, those in the labor force and actively seeking employment, than in December 2016 for a total 24,500. Over the year, the number of unemployed residents fell by 2,800.
Unemployed residents collecting unemployment insurance accounted for 44.4 percent of the total unemployed or 10,463 persons – a dip from 10,898 from December 2016.
Regionally, the Massachusetts unemployment rate fell 0.1 percent from 3.6 percent in November to 3.5 percent in December – a jump of 0.4 percent from December 2016. The Bay State added 63,000 jobs between December 2016 and December 2017.
Below is a sector-by-sector breakdown of job performance in Rhode Island last month:
- Accommodation and food services: While the sector lost 800 jobs in December, 1,100 were added year-to-date.
- Wholesale trade: Marking its third consecutive month of losses, the sector dropped 700 jobs in December and is unchanged from December 2016.
- Construction: While 200 jobs were lost in December, 2,100 were added year-to-date.
- Retail trade: There were 200 jobs lost in December and 600 lost since December 2016.
- Arts, entertainment and recreation: There were 200 jobs lost in December and 500 lost year-to-date.
- Information: The sector lost 100 jobs in December and has dropped 100 since December 2016.
- Financial activities: The sector gained 400 jobs in December and added 800 year-to-date.
- Health care and social assistance: Marking a third consecutive month of gains, 300 jobs were added in December and employment has risen by 800 jobs since December 2016.
- Professional and business services: While the sector added 300 jobs in December, 800 have been lost since December 2016.
- Other services: 300 jobs were gained in December and 700 overall year-to-date.
- Manufacturing: There were 200 jobs added in the manufacturing sector in December, reflecting a 2,000-job increase year-over-year.
- Educational services: Marking a third consecutive month in job gains, the sector added 100 jobs in December for a 500-job gain year-over-year.
- Transportation and utilities: The sector was unchanged in December and has added 200 jobs since December 2016.
- Government: The sector was unchanged in December and lost 200 jobs year-to-date.
Employment in the mining and logging industry remains unchanged from both November 2017 and December 2016.
Production workers in the manufacturing industry earned $19.14 per hour in December 2017 – while a 46-cent decrease from November, this represents a 35-cent increase from December 2016.
They worked two hours more than in November and nine minutes (one and one-tenth hours) more than in December 2016 for an average 42.7 hours per week.
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.
