DLT: Jobless rate drops in April in R.I. to 6.1%

THE JOBLESS rate dropped to 6.1 percent in April, its lowest level since December 2007, according to the state Department of Labor and Training. / COURTESY STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND TRAINING
THE JOBLESS rate dropped to 6.1 percent in April, its lowest level since December 2007, according to the state Department of Labor and Training. / COURTESY STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND TRAINING

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island’s seasonally adjusted unemployment for April dropped to 6.1 percent, two-tenths of a percentage point lower than it was in March, according to data released Thursday by the R.I. Department of Labor and Training.
That figure, the lowest jobless rate since December of 2007, is also two percentage points less than the jobless rate in April a year ago, the DLT said.
By comparison, the U.S. unemployment rate dipped one-tenth of a percentage point from March to 5.4 percent in April, eight-tenths of a percentage point less than a year prior.
The state’s labor force totaled 553,800 in April, an increase of 1,900 from March but a decrease of 1,500 compared with a year ago.
Gov. Gina M. Raimondo said in a statement that while the jobless rate continues to improve, “too many Rhode Islanders are still struggling and we need to do more to create jobs and expand opportunity.”
She cited the more than 1,200 jobs lost in the construction sector over the past three months as especially troubling. But recent news about two companies’ pursuit of plans for a large-scale, mixed-use life-sciences project on two parcels of the former Interstate 195 land is a good sign, she said.
“This concept, if it materializes, is exactly the type of bold, innovative activity we need to get our state moving again and spark a comeback,” Raimondo said.
The number of employed Rhode Island residents was 520,100, an increase of 2,800 compared with March’s figure of 517,300, and an increase of 9,700 compared with April of last year.
The number of unemployed Rhode Island residents was 33,700, a drop of 1,000 from a revised March figure of 34,700 – the lowest unemployment level since November of 2007. Year over year, the number of jobless residents dropped by 11,200.
Some 12,898 people collected Unemployment Insurance benefits in April, a decline of 13,445 a year ago and accounting this past April for 41.5 percent of the total jobless.
Over the year, total employment increased by 4,300 with job gains in seven economic sectors. Increases were reflected in accommodation and food services, 1,600; other services, 1,200; professional and business services, 1,100; manufacturing and transportation and utilities, both up by 700; health care and social assistance, 600; and educational services, 300.
Decreases over the year were recorded in construction, 800; retail and wholesale trades, a drop of 300 each; arts, 200; and government, 100. Financial activities and mining and logging remained unchanged.
Estimated nonfarm payroll in April was up by 600 jobs for a total of 481,400 from the revised March figure of 480,800. So far this year, the state’s job count has increased 2,100, and rose 4,300 from a year ago.
The accommodation and food services sector posted the highest level on record, 47,800, with a gain of 500 jobs in April month over month.
Month over month, retail trade and government sectors added 200 jobs each, which health care and social assistance, along with educational services, added 100 jobs each.
Offsetting gains were losses in eight economic sectors. Construction lost 400 jobs, as did arts, entertainment and recreation. Manufacturing lost 300 job; while 200 each were lost in the sectors of financial activities, transportation and utilities, and wholesale trade. Information and other services lost 100 jobs each.

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  1. For a more detailed analysis of the employment/underemployment/ unemployment situation;

    Refer to The Bureau Of Labor Statistics; http://www.bls.gov/lau/stalt.htm …which is updated quarterly…
    …as of 04/24/2015, Rhode Island’s Employment/Underemployment/Unemployment Rate
    of measurement at Level U6 is: TWELVE PONT NINE CENT (12.9%)….

    ….and as of 05/08/2015, the National Employment/Unemployment
    Rate of measurement at Level U6 is: TEN POINT EIGHT PER CENT (10.8%)…
    (further details can be found at http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t15.htm which is updated monthly….)

    The next publication of the Employment/Underemployment/Unemployment situation, broken down by State level,
    covering the previous four quarters ending in June 2015, is tentatively scheduled for Friday, July 24, 2015, so stay tuned…jkp