Saturday's Internet Edition, May 17, 2008.
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“If we look at the past 12 months, we have seen some growth in employment,” ESC Chairman Harry E. Payne Jr. said. “While unemployment is up, we’ve gained more than 68,000 jobs since last December.”
North Carolina’s unemployment rate of 5 percent matched the U.S. rate for the second consecutive month. In December 2006, the state rate was 4.9 percent. Since December 2006, the state’s labor force has increased 0.3 percent, while the United States’ civilian labor force rose 0.8 percent.
As gathered through the monthly ESC establishment survey, total seasonally-adjusted non-farm industry employment increased by 9,600 jobs over the past month — additionally increasing by 68,600 since December 2006 to 4,133,100. The largest decrease in jobs was in labor force with 11,469 jobs.
The largest over-the-month increase occurred in professional and business services.
Overall employment decreased in December by 24,272 to 4,300,998 and the labor force decreased by 11,172 people during the month to 4,525,983. For the first time since September, seasonally-adjusted unemployment increased by 13,100 workers to 224,985. Since this time last year, unemployment has increased by 4,453 workers. Over the year, the labor force has increased by 11,469 people.
North Carolina’s seasonally adjusted labor force participation rate decreased by 0.2 or a percentage point to 65.3 percent. For the second consecutive month, the United States’ labor force participation rate remained at 66 percent.
The labor force participation rate is the percent of the population 16 years and older who are either employed or unemployed, but actively seeking work.
North Carolina’s service providing sector increased by 2.2 percent or 71,800 jobs.
Having the most manufacturing jobs, food manufacturing came out on top with 52,700 jobs in December 2007. Plastics and rubber manufacturing, however, reported the largest net over-the-year increase with 2,000 jobs.
Average weekly hours for production workers in December decreased by 12 minutes to 41.4 from November’s revised 21.6. Initial claims for unemployment insurance totaled 56,514 in December, decreasing 5,502 from November.
Staff Writer Darrick Ignasiak can be reached at 472-9500, ext. 231, or ignasiak@tvilletimes.com