CRANSTON – Rhode Island businesses added 1,400 jobs in September as the state’s unemployment dropped slightly from the previous month to 2.6% to stay well below the national rate, the R.I. Department of Labor and Training reported Thursday.
Gov. Daniel J. McKee said he was pleased with September’s jobs report, noting that it marks the sixth consecutive month with growth in the state’s labor force and number of working Rhode Islanders. The national unemployment rate is 3.8%.
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The state’s total nonfarm jobs rose to 495,600 in September, an increase of 1,400 from the revised August jobs figure of 494,200. Over the year, however, the state’s total nonfarm jobs are down 3,500 and nationally jobs were up 2.1%, according to the DLT.
The number of private-sector jobs in Rhode Island also grew by 1,700 in September but are down 4,100 from last year.
“Rhode Islanders are hard at work, reflecting a thriving economy and underlining the state’s commitment to economic development and employment opportunities,” McKee said in a statement Thursday. “As more Rhode Islanders find meaningful employment, the entire community benefits. Increased employment opportunities not only improve the quality of life for individuals and families but also contribute to the overall prosperity and well-being of the state.”
At 2.6% Rhode Island’s unemployment rate is down from 3.4% in September 2022 and marks a slight decrease from the August rate of 2.7%, according to the DLT. The U.S. unemployment rate remained unchanged from August at 3.8% and is down from the 3.5% recorded in September 2022.
The number of unemployed Rhode Island residents, classified as those actively seeking employment, was 14,900 in September, down 300 from August and a reduction of 4,400 from a year ago. Also, the number of employed Rhode Island residents was up to 557,000, which is 1,200 more than August and up by 7,500 year over year, according to the DLT.
Rhode Island’s labor force participation totaled 571,900 in September, which is up 900 over August and 3,100 from September 2022. The labor force participation rate increased slightly from 63.3% in August to 63.4% in September and remained above the national rate of 62.8%.
The DLT also reported that unemployment insurance claims for first-time filers averaged 680 in September, which is down from 744 in August and up an average of 30 per week from September 2022.
In September manufacturing workers earned $25.45 per hour, which is down 5 cents from August but up $1.75 over the year. Manufacturing employees also worked slightly less in September, averaging 38.2 hours per week, which is down from 38.4 recorded in August and 41.1 from a year ago.
The August jobs report was revised up by 800 from a reported loss of 100 jobs from July to show a gain of 700 jobs. The government sector reported the largest revised increase, adding more than 500 jobs.
Six employment sectors also reported job gains in September, while eight showed losses and four remained the same. The largest monthly gains were reported in “other services” at more than 800, along with construction and health care & social assistance, which were both more than 600. Since May, the health care & social assistance sector has added 3,600 jobs, with most of those stemming from the ambulatory health care services subsector, according to the DLT.
However, offsetting September’s job gains was a loss of 400 jobs in the professional & technical services sector, along with a loss of 300 jobs in both government and retail trade sectors.
September job counts for all industry sectors:
- Accommodation and food services: 48,600, down 400 from August and 1,100 year over year.
- Administrative and waste services: Unchanged from August and down 2,600 year over year.
- Arts, entertainment and recreation: 7,800, up 500 from August and down 100 year over year.
- Construction: 22,300 up 600 from August and 1,300 year over year.
- Educational services: 24,900, down 100 from August and 1,000 year over year.
- Finance and insurance: 29,100, down 100 from August and up 300 year over year.
- Government: 64,500, down 300 from August and up 600 year over year.
- Health care and social assistance: 83,000, up 600 from August and 3,300 year over year.
- Information: 5,500, down 100 from August and 200 year over year.
- Management of companies and enterprises: 10,600, down 100 from August and 300 year over year.
- Manufacturing: 40,100, unchanged from August and down 600 year over year.
- Mining and logging: 200, unchanged from August and year over year.
- Other services: 21,400, up 800 from August and down 200 year over year.
- Professional, scientific and technical services: 29,500, down 400 from August and 500 year over year.
- Real estate, rental and leasing: 6,100, up 100 from August and down 400 year over year.
- Retail trade: 46,800, down 300 from August and 500 year over year.
- Transportation, warehousing & utilities: 12,800, unchanged from August and down 800 year over year.
- Wholesale trade: 15,800, down 200 from August and 700 year over year.
Katie Castellani is a PBN staff writer. You can reach her Castellani@PBN.com.
