R.I. unemployment rate has slight uptick in August

RHODE ISLAND'S unemployment rate rose slightly in August to 5.6 percent from July's 5.5 percent, the state Department of Labor and Training said Thursday. / COURTESY R.I. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND TRAINING
RHODE ISLAND'S unemployment rate rose slightly in August to 5.6 percent from July's 5.5 percent, the state Department of Labor and Training said Thursday. / COURTESY R.I. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND TRAINING

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.6 percent in August, up one-tenth of one percentage point from July and down two-tenths of one percentage point from the year prior, reported the R.I. Department of Labor and Training on Thursday.

Nationally, August’s unemployment rate held steady from July at 4.9 percent, but decreased two-tenths of one percentage point over the year.

The state lost 700 jobs in August compared with July; however, the number of jobs grew 5,800 when compared with August 2015, the DLT said.

In addition, there were 400 more unemployed Rhode Island residents, those classified as available for and actively seeking employment, for a total of 30,900 in August compared with July. In the year-over-year comparison, there are 1,000 fewer unemployed persons.

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In August, 10,497 individuals, or 32.2 percent of the unemployed population, collected unemployment insurance, 512 fewer than in July.

The number of employed Rhode Island residents increased by 1,100 from July to August to 525,800, which reflects a 3,100-individual increase from the same time last year. In addition, the Rhode Island labor force was measured at 556,800 in August, an increase of 1,600 from July and 2,200 in a year-over-year comparison.

Non-farm payroll in the Ocean State was 490,800 in August, reflecting 700 jobs lost from the revised July count. In total, 2,300 jobs have been added to the local economy so far this year, matching the addition of 2,200 jobs in the same period last year.

Health care and social assistance gained 400 jobs over the month for a total of 81,400 employed persons, the highest rate on record. Year over year, jobs in this sector increased 600.

Government, other services and wholesale trade sectors added 200 jobs each from July to August. Year over year, the government sector added 1,000 jobs, other services added 600, but wholesale trade lost 500 jobs.

The accommodation and food services, construction, and transportation and utilities sectors each increased by 100 jobs in August. Over the year, the accommodation and food services sector added 1,200 jobs and the construction and transportation and utilities sectors each added 300 jobs.

Six hundred jobs were lost in the professional and business services sector in August. This wipes out 66 percent of the 900 jobs it added in July, but still represents a 1,900-job gain from August 2015, the DLT said.

Similarly, manufacturing experienced a 500-job loss in August, but is still up 700 jobs in the year-over-year comparison.

Both the financial activities and retail trade sectors lost 300 jobs in August, the second consecutive month of declines for each. Financial activities is down 200 jobs since August 2015 and retail trade has lost 100 jobs over the year.

Two hundred jobs were lost in educational services and 100 in arts, entertainment and recreation from July. Employment in the mining and lodging and information sectors were unchanged from July.

Manufacturing employees worked an average 38.2 hours per week in August, five-tenths of an hour less than July. They earned $18.27 per hour in August, a loss of 13 cents from July of this year, but 82 cents more than they were paid in August 2015.

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