New RI Jobs Report: Government Jobs Grew, Private Sector Suffered Losses
Thursday, October 21, 2021
Rhode Island-based jobs rose by 2,000 from August and it was on the backs of a significant increase in government and public education jobs.
Meanwhile, private-sector jobs saw losses.
According to the Department of Labor and Training, the number of jobs in the "government" sector rose by 3,400 in September, as "educational services within the local government branch reported strong job growth."
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe two of the hardest hit private sector areas were a large loss of 1,700 jobs reported in the arts, entertainment, and recreation sector as several seasonal jobs were cut from payrolls in September. This marks the first job loss in arts, entertainment & recreation since April 2021.
Also hit hard was healthcare.
The "healthcare & social assistance" sector shed 400 jobs from August, mainly due to declines reported among social assistance employees. This too marks the first job decline in healthcare and social assistance since April 2021.
In addition, a loss of 300 jobs was noted in financial activities, followed by a loss of 100 jobs in both the construction and other services sectors. The financial activities sector has not reported a positive job gain since April 2021.
RI Unemployment Rate Versus U.S.
The September unemployment rate was down six-tenths of a percentage point from the August rate of 5.8 percent. Last year the rate was 10.9 percent in September.
The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.2 percent in September, the Department of Labor and Training announced Thursday.
The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.8 percent in September, down four-tenths of a percentage point from August. The U.S. rate was 7.8 percent in September 2020.
The number of unemployed Rhode Island residents — those residents classified as available for and actively seeking employment — was 30,100, down 800 from August. The number of unemployed residents decreased by 30,600 over the year. Since February 2020, the month prior to the pandemic-related shutdowns, the number of unemployed RI residents is up 7,900.
Rhode Island-Based Jobs
Total nonfarm payroll employment in Rhode Island rose to 480,300 in September, an increase of 2,000 jobs from the revised August job count of 478,300. RI’s economy has reported nine consecutive months of job gains totaling 22,500 jobs, or an average of 2,500 jobs per month.
Employment in professional & business services grew by 600 in September, led by gains among the professional & technical services subsector.
The wholesale trade sector reported a gain of 300 jobs in September, followed by smaller gains of 200 jobs in the manufacturing sector and a gain of 100 jobs in the Retail Trade sector.
The accommodation & food services, educational services, information, transportation & utilities and mining & logging, sectors all reported no job change over the month.