In January, the unemployment rate in Pennsylvania declined to 4.3 percent while nonfarm employment reached a new peak statewide, according to a preliminary report by the state Department of Labor & Industry, writes Ian Karbal for The Keystone.
While the unemployment rate dipped slightly from 4.4 percent in December, it is still up from the 4.1 percent it was at a year earlier. The change aligns Pennsylvania more closely with national figures, where unemployment increased by roughly three-tenths of a percent over the same period to 4.3 percent.
Pennsylvania’s total nonfarm employment reached a record 6,201,900, up 17,900 from the previous month. Growth mostly came from five of 11 industry “supersectors,” with education and health services contributing 10,000 jobs. Overall, nonfarm employment is up 35,500 compared to a year ago.
Although nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 nationwide in January, the National Federation of Independent Business said small businesses are still struggling to hire and find qualified workers.
“Owners know that this problem will only worsen if the [state] Senate passes legislation to increase the minimum wage and create a costly paid leave program for small employers,” said Greg Moreland, state director at NFIB Pennsylvania.
Read more about the decline in Pennsylvania’s unemployment as nonfarm employment reaches a new peak in The Keystone.
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