The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry released its employment situation report for September 2020.
The state’s unemployment rate was down 2.3 percentage points over the month to 8.1 percent in September. The national rate fell 0.5 percentage points from its August level to 7.9 percent. The commonwealth’s unemployment rate increased by 3.5 percentage points from September 2019 while the national rate was up 4.4 points over the year.
Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force – the estimated number of residents working or looking for work – increased 52,000 over the month as the unemployment count fell by 141,000, with employment rising by 194,000.
Pennsylvania’s total nonfarm jobs were up 19,400 over the month to 5,597,800 in September. Jobs increased in nine of the 11 industry supersectors from August levels. The largest monthly volume gain was in leisure and hospitality, up 16,100 jobs.
Over the past five months, Pennsylvania has recovered 54.2 percent of the total nonfarm jobs lost in March and April.
Over the year, total nonfarm jobs in Pennsylvania were down 470,800 with declines in 10 or the 11 supersectors. The largest 12-month change among supersectors was a decline of 147,300 jobs in leisure and hospitality.
Visit dli.pa.gov for more information.
