HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry has released its employment situation report for October.
Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate was down two-tenths of a percentage point to 5.1 percent in October. Pennsylvania’s rate was one-tenth of a percentage point above the U.S. rate of 5.0 percent, which was down one-tenth of a point from September.
The commonwealth’s rate was down one-tenth of a percentage point from the October of 2014 level of 5.2 percent while the national rate declined by seven-tenths of a percentage point over the year.
Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force was up 5,000 in October to 6,415,000. Resident employment rose while the unemployment count declined.
Total nonfarm jobs were up 13,700 in October to 5,858,100. Private sector jobs (+14,200) rose to a record high while government jobs declined (-500).
The two largest super-sector gains in October, education & health services and leisure & hospitality, both resulted in record high levels. The largest drop in October was due to construction. All three goods-producing components declined.
Over the year, total nonfarm jobs in Pennsylvania were up 48,600 (+0.8 percent). Seven of the 11 super-sectors added jobs over the past year.
Changes from last October mirrored changes from September in that both goods producers and government jobs were down while private service-providing jobs were up.
Note: The above data are seasonally adjusted. Seasonally adjusted data provide the most valid month-to-month comparison.