R.I. unemployment rate continues climb; up to 7.7 percent in July

CRANSTON – Rhode Island’s unemployment rate last month continued its steady climb, rising 0.2 percent compared with June to 7.7 percent – the seventh consecutive month of jobless rate increases, the R.I. Department of Labor and Training said on Aug. 15 in its July jobs report. It’s the highest level since September 1993.
The unemployment rate nationwide also climbed 0.2 percent to 5.7 percent in July.
Nonfarm payrolls statewide shrank to 480,600 – from June’s revised employment level of 482,300, the the department said. Meanwhile, the number of Rhode Islanders on the unemployment rolls last month increased by 1,600 to 44,300, the highest level since February 1993. On a year-over-year basis, that’s an increase of 15,300. &#8226