PROVIDENCE – Unemployment for Rhode Islanders declined 0.4 percentage points year over year to 3.6% in June, according to the R.I. Department of Labor and Training Thursday.
The United States unemployment rate was 0.1 percentage points higher than Rhode Island’s in June at 3.7%.
The number of unemployed in the state declined 10% from June 2018 to 19,800 people, while employed Rhode Island residents declined 0.2% year over year to 532,400. Nonfarm payrolls totaled 502,200 in Rhode Island in June, a 1% increase over the year.
The labor force declined 3,400 workers from June 2018 to 552,100.
Sector by sector employment breakdown (in order of total jobs):
- Health care and social assistance employment increased 2,300 workers year over year to 83,100
- Professional and business services employment declined 1,400 workers year over year to 67,100
- Government employment increased 400 workers to 61,600
- Accommodation and food services increased 500 jobs year over year to 50,000
- Retail trade employment declined 300 jobs year over year to 48,400
- Manufacturing employment declined 1,400 workers year over year to 39,000; manufacturing sector production employees earned $19.87 per hour, a 52 cent increase year over year. Employees worked an average of 38.8 hours per week, a decline of two and two-tenths of an hour year over year
- Financial activities employment increased 600 workers year over year to 35,900
- Educational services employment increased 1,400 jobs year over year to 27,200
- Other services employment increased 800 jobs year over year to 23,800
- Construction employment increased 700 workers year over year to 19,900
- Wholesale trade employment increased 900 jobs year over year to 17,400
- Transportation and utilities employment increased 900 jobs year over year to 13,000
- Arts, entertainment and recreation employment declined 200 workers year over year to 9,400
- Information sector employment increased 400 works year over year to 6,200
- Mining and logging employed 200 in June, unchanged from the previous year
Chris Bergenheim is the PBN web editor. You may reach him at Bergenheim@PBN.com.