The Department of Labor & Industry Friday reported Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate was 5.4 percent in August, unchanged from July. The state rate has now been at 5.4 percent for four consecutive months.
Pennsylvania’s rate was three-tenths of a percentage point above the U.S. rate of 5.1 percent, which was down two-tenths of a percentage point in August. The Commonwealth’s rate was also 5.4 percent in August 2014 while the national rate declined by a full percentage point over the year.
Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force was down 12,000 in August to 6,415,000. Both resident employment and unemployment were down modestly.
Total nonfarm jobs were down 2,900 in August to 5,855,700. Private sector jobs were down 8,300 while public sector jobs rose 5,400. Education & health services and government showed noticeable gains in August, while leisure & hospitality and other services showed the largest single-month declines.
Over the year, total nonfarm jobs in Pennsylvania were up 57,300 (+1.0 percent). The growth was concentrated within private service-providing industries, with the largest gains in education & health services and trade, transportation & utilities. Construction jobs, though relatively unchanged in August, were up 8,900 from a year ago.
