News for Immediate Release

June 16, 2011

Pennsylvania's Employment Situation: May 2011

Harrisburg - Pennsylvania's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 7.4 percent in May, down from 7.5 percent in April.
 
May's rate was down 1.3 percentage points from May 2010.
 
Pennsylvania's seasonally adjusted civilian labor force – the number of people working or looking for work – was down 12,000 in May to 6,344,000. Resident employment fell by 6,000 to 5,873,000 while the number of unemployed residents fell 7,000 to 471,000, its lowest level since February 2009. Pennsylvania's labor force was 8,000 below its May 2010 level.
 
Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs in Pennsylvania were down 14,200 in May to 5,678,700. Eight of the eleven supersectors experienced job losses in May. Professional & Business Services, Government, Construction and Education & Health Services all declined by 2,000 or more jobs. However, all Pennsylvania supersectors, except Government and Financial Activities, gained jobs from May 2010. Mining & Logging increased for the 24th consecutive month, up 100 in May to 31,300, the highest since 1990.
 
Pennsylvania's job count was up 44,300 (0.8 percent) from May 2010; nationally, nonfarm jobs were up 870,000 (0.7 percent) from last May.
 
Editor's Note: A breakdown of Pennsylvania's employment statistics follows.
 
Current Labor Force Statistics
Seasonally Adjusted
(in thousands)
May
2011
April
2011
May
2010
Change from
April 2011
Change from
May 2010
volume percent volume percent
PA
Civilian Labor Force 6,344 6,356 6,352 -12 -0.2% -8 -0.1%
Employment 5,873 5,879 5,797 -6 -0.1% 76 1.3%
Unemployment 471 478 555 -7 -1.5% -84 -15.1%
Rate 7.4 7.5 8.7 -0.1 ---- -1.3 ----
US
Civilian Labor Force 153,693 153,406 154,237 272 0.2% -544 -0.4%
Employment 139,779 139,864 139,353 105 0.1% 426 0.3%
Unemployment 13,914 13,542 14,884 167 1.2% -970 -6.5%
Rate 9.1 8.8 9.6 0.1 ---- -0.5 ----
 
Pennsylvania Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment
Seasonally Adjusted
(in thousands)
May
2011
April
2011
May
2010
Change from
April 2011
Change from
May 2010
volume percent volume percent
Total Nonfarm Jobs 5,678.7 5,692.9 5,634.4 -14.2 -0.2% 44.3 0.8%
Goods Producing Industries 820.5 822.4 804.9 -1.9 -0.2% 15.6 1.9%
  Mining & Logging 31.3 31.2 25.9 0.1 0.3% 5.4 20.8%
  Construction 217.6 220.0 216.8 -2.4 -1.1% 0.8 0.4%
  Manufacturing 571.6 571.2 562.2 0.4 0.1% 9.4 1.7%
Service Providing Industries 4,858.2 4,870.5 4,829.5 -12.3 -0.3% 28.7 0.6%
  Trade, Transportation & Utilities 1,092.4 1,094.1 1,079.9 -1.7 -0.2% 12.5 1.2%
  Information 97.6 95.7 93.3 1.9 2.0% 4.3 4.6%
  Financial Activities 311.9 313.0 312.0 -1.1 -0.4% -0.1 0.0%
  Professional & Business Services 693.0 696.3 686.9 -3.3 -0.5% 6.1 0.9%
  Education & Health Services 1,159.1 1,161.7 1,134.1 -2.6 -0.2% 25.0 2.2%
  Leisure & Hospitality 510.9 512.5 498.2 -1.6 -0.3% 12.7 2.5%
  Other Services 251.1 251.9 249.8 -0.8 -0.3% 1.3 0.5%
  Government 742.2 745.3 775.3 -3.1 -0.4% -33.1 -4.3%
 
For a more detailed breakdown of seasonally adjusted jobs data at the sector level, please contact the Center for Workforce Information & Analysis at 1-877-4WF-DATA, or visit www.paworkstats.state.pa.us
 
Note: June 2011 labor force and nonfarm jobs statistics will be released July 21, 2011.


Media Contact:
Christopher S. Manlove, 717-787-7530