R.I. jobless rate unchanged at 5.4% in March

TOTAL NONFARM employment was 490,900 in March, an increase of 8,800 jobs from March 2015, the state Department of Labor and Training said. / COURTESY R.I. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND TRAINING
TOTAL NONFARM employment was 490,900 in March, an increase of 8,800 jobs from March 2015, the state Department of Labor and Training said. / COURTESY R.I. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND TRAINING

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island’s unemployment rate held steady at 5.4 percent in March for the fourth consecutive month, the state Department of Labor and Training said Thursday.
The seasonally adjusted jobless rate has been 5.4 percent since December, which is the lowest rate since August 2007. Looking at the rate compared with March 2015, it dropped nine-tenths of a percentage point.
Still, the Ocean State’s jobless rate in March remained above the national rate of 5 percent.
Unemployed Rhode Islanders totaled 29,900, an increase of 100 from February, and a decrease of 5,300 over the year. The labor force, which includes employed and unemployed Rhode Islanders, also grew by 700 from February to 552,800, but fell over the year by 2,800.
In addition, 12,887 individuals collected unemployment-insurance benefits in March, a decrease from 15,298 a year ago. The DLT said that these claimants account for nearly 40 percent of the total unemployed.
The number of employed Rhode Islanders was 552,900, an increase of 600 from February, marking the highest employment level since August 2008, the DLT said. Over the year, this category rose by 2,500.

Nonfarm payroll employment was estimated at 490,900 in March, reflecting a gain of 2,700 jobs from February’s estimate of 488,200.
The accommodations and food-services sector added 900 jobs in March compared with February, thanks in part to preparation for Providence’s designation as a regional host for the NCAA college basketball tournament. Over the year, that sector gained 2,100 jobs.
“Thousands of college basketball fans from across the country converged upon the capital city in March, occupying local hotels and restaurants,” the DLT said.
The DLT said that the professional and business-services sector “continues to serve as a bright spot” in the state’s economy, as it added 800 jobs from February and 3,400 over the year.
Manufacturing also saw employment grow by 500 jobs over the month, and by 800 over the year.
Jobs climbed over the month in financial activities (+300) and arts, entertainment and recreation (+200) sectors, while employment remained unchanged in information; health care and social assistance; transportation and utilities; and wholesale trade sectors.

Employment in financial activities climbed 900 compared with a year ago; employment in arts, entertainment and recreation, and information, also grew over the year, by 400 and 100, respectively.

Five employment sectors reported losses of 100 jobs in March compared with February: construction; educational services; government; mining and logging; and retail trade. Over the year, employment in the construction and retail-trade sectors increased 2,200 and 100, respectively, while employment in educational services and government fell 800 and 400, respectively, over the year.

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There were no changes in health care and social assistance, and mining and logging over the year, the DLT said.

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