HARRISBURG, Pa. — Note: The video is from July 14.
Pennsylvania's unemployment rate dropped one-tenth of a percent to 4.5 percent in the month of June, the state Department of Labor & Industry announced Friday.
That's a drop of 2.1 percent from where the commonwealth's unemployment rate was in June 2021, L&I said.
It's the first time since September 2019 that Pennsylvania's unemployment rate was at 4.5 percent.
The U.S. unemployment rate was unchanged over the month, remaining at 3.6 percent, where it has been since March. The national rate was down 2.3 percentage points over the year.
"The June jobs report shows Pennsylvania continuing down the road to recovery, marking the first time since September 2019 that we have been at 4.5 percent unemployment,” said L&I Secretary Jennifer Berrier. "The commonwealth and its residents are resilient, furthering job growth across various industries from trade, transportation and utilities to professional and business services.
"Some industries are even currently above their pre-pandemic level job totals, further contributing to Pennsylvania’s ongoing efforts to put the worst of the pandemic behind us.”
Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force – the estimated number of residents working or looking for work – increased 7,000 over the month. The employment count rose 17,000 (to 6,159,000) while resident unemployment declined 10,000 (to 288,000).
Pennsylvania’s total nonfarm jobs were up 21,200 over the month to 5,950,900 in June.
Jobs increased from May in seven of the 11 industry super sectors with the largest volume gain in education & health services (+8,300).
Over the year, total nonfarm jobs were up 211,300 with gains in 10 of the 11 super sectors. Leisure & hospitality had the largest 12-month gain, adding 64,000 jobs.
Three super sectors -- trade, transportation & utilities; information; and professional & business services – were above their pre-pandemic job levels in June 2022.
From April 2020 through June 2022, Pennsylvania has recovered approximately 87% of jobs lost in the first two months of the pandemic period.
Additional information is available on the L&I website at www.dli.pa.gov.