Vermont's unemployment rate fell to 6.8 percent in July from its June rate of 7.3 percent. Vermont's drop was the greatest of any state. This is also the lowest Vermont rate since January. In a cautious note of optimism, 17 states and the District of Columbia saw a drop in unemployment rates, continuing a trend of more states showing improvement in jobless rates. In June, only five states, including Vermont, saw a drop, and in May, only one state fell.
The Vermont Department of Labor announced today that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for July 2009 was 6.8 percent, down 0.5 tenths of a point from the revised June rate and up 2.2 points from a year ago. The release of July unemployment numbers was delayed until today to ensure that Bureau of Labor Statistics correction of New England results did not affect Vermont.
Unemployment fell sharply in July, apparently due to increased hiring of youth for summer work and a modest recovery of the Leisure and Hospitality sector, said Patricia Moulton Powden, commissioner of the Vermont Department of Labor. However, the early data indicate we will likely see an upward revision of the unemployment rate as has occurred for the past several months. For example, we saw June s unemployment rate climb from 7.1 percent to 7.3 percent after final revision.
Typically we see a large seasonal decline in July job counts as schools close for the summer and non-teaching staff are laid off. Before seasonal adjustment, Total Non-Farm (TNF) jobs fell by 6,750 or -2.3 percent over the month a smaller drop than we usually see. Annual unadjusted job growth fell by 11,650 or -3.9 percent. This rate of annual loss is about what we saw in June. Leisure & Hospitality, (+1,450 or +4.8 percent) Other State Government, (+850 or +8.7 percent) and Other Local Government, (+400 or +5.2 percent) led over the month seasonal growth. Local Government Education, (-9,050 or -38.8 percent) saw the largest seasonal, and expected, decline.
When seasonally adjusted, July job levels grew by 900 or 0.3 percent from June. The largest growth was seen in the Government sector, (+1,700 or +3.2 percent) largely due to stimulus spending on summer youth jobs. Health Care & Social Assistance, (+300 or +0.6 percent) and Leisure & Hospitality, (+200 or +0.7 percent) and Transportation, Warehousing & Utilities, (+200 or +2.3 percent) also showed over the month seasonally adjusted growth. Retail Trade, (-400 or -1.0 percent) and Construction, (-200 or -1.5 percent) shed the most seasonally adjusted jobs over the month.
Vermont s July seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell by five tenths of a point to 6.8 percent percent as a result of both a significant increase in employment and decline in the number of unemployed. The jump in employment appears to be driven by an increase in youth hiring both as a result of stimulus program spending and perhaps deferred Leisure and Hospitality hiring caused by poor weather earlier in the season. Vermont s observed July seasonally adjusted employment, unemployment levels and unemployment rate estimates were statistically different from June values. For comparison purposes, the US seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for July was 9.4 percent, down one-tenth of a point from the revised June rate of 9.5 percent. We believe it is likely that we will see an upward revision of the July unemployment estimate as has occurred for the past several months as more data become available.
Unemployment rates for Vermont s 17 labor market areas ranged from 3.7 percent in Hartford to 9.0 percent in Rutland. Local labor market area unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted. For comparison, the June unadjusted unemployment rate for Vermont was 6.5 percent, down seven-tenths of a point from June 2009 and up 2.1 points from a year ago. The July unadjusted unemployment rate estimate for Vermont was also statistically different from the June rate.The preliminary estimates of nonfarm jobs for July, and the revisions to the estimates for November 2008 through June 2009, incorporate substantive changes made in the Current Employment Survey estimation procedures. These new procedures are designed to bring the aggregate monthly change in jobs for individual states into closer alignment with the change in national job counts reflected in the estimates produced and published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. As a result of these changes, the November 2008 and forward estimates may not be totally comparable to previous months' data.
Regional and state unemployment rates were generally little changed in July. Twenty-six states reported over-the-month unemployment rate increases, 17 states and the District of Columbia registered rate decreases, and 7 states had no rate change, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Over the year, jobless rates increased in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. At 9.4 percent in July, the national unemployment rate was little changed from June, but was 3.6 percentage points higher than a year earlier.
_________________________________________________________________
| |
| Corrections to Labor Force Estimates for New England States |
| |
| Labor force data in this release for the State of Connecticut |
|(including the unemployment rate) reflect a minor input error |
|found late in production of the July estimates. The estimates |
|for the five other New England States also are affected due to |
|additivity in the estimating process. A version of this news |
|release containing corrected estimates will be issued as soon |
|as possible. The corrections will be minimal. Data shown for |
|the Northeast and for New England are correct as published. Pay-|
|roll employment data shown for Connecticut and all other States |
|are not affected by the error. For further assistance, please |
|contact the BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics Division at |
|[email protected] or (202) 691-6392. |
| |
_________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
| |
| Publication of Metropolitan Area Hours and Earnings Resumed |
| |
| Effective with the release of July 2009 data, BLS has |
|resumed publication of the Metropolitan Area hours and |
|earnings series. See page 3 for additional information. |
| |
|_____________________________________________________________|
Nonfarm payroll employment decreased in 29 states, and increased in
21 states and the District of Columbia. The largest over-the-month
decrease in the level of employment occurred in California (-35,800),
followed by North Carolina (-26,400), Florida (-25,200), and Illinois
(-13,000). North Carolina experienced the largest over-the-month per-
centage decrease in employment (-0.7 percent), followed by Mississippi
(-0.6 percent), and Nevada and New Mexico (-0.5 percent each). The
largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in New York
(62,100), Michigan (38,100), Texas (37,900), Tennessee (15,600), and
the District of Columbia (13,200). The District of Columbia (+1.9
percent) experienced the largest over-the-month percentage increase
in employment, followed by Michigan (+1.0 percent), New York (+0.7
percent), and South Dakota and Tennessee (+0.6 percent each). Over
the year, nonfarm employment decreased in 49 states and increased in
one state and the District of Columbia. The largest over-the-year
percentage decreases occurred in Arizona (-7.5 percent), Michigan
(-6.7 percent), Nevada (-6.4 percent), and Oregon (-5.7 percent).
North Dakota (+1.0 percent) and the District of Columbia (+0.9
percent) reported over-the-year percentage increases.
Regional Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
In July, the West reported the highest regional jobless rate,
10.5 percent, followed by the Midwest, 10.2 percent. The Northeast
recorded the lowest rate, 8.7 percent. The West was the only region
with a statistically significant over-the-month rate change (+0.3
percentage point). All four regions experienced significant unem-
ployment rate increases from July 2008, the largest of which were in
the West (+4.2 percentage points) and Midwest (+4.0 points). (See
table 1.)
Among the nine geographic divisions, the East North Central and
Pacific had the highest unemployment rates in July, 11.4 and 11.3
percent, respectively. The Pacific rate was the highest in its series.
(All region, division, and state series begin in 1976.) The divisions
registering the lowest jobless rates were the West North Central,
7.5 percent, and West South Central, 7.7 percent. The Mountain and
West South Central were the only divisions to experience statistically
significant over-the-month unemployment rate changes (+0.4 percentage
point each). All nine divisions saw significant over-the-year rate
increases, with the largest change occurring in the East North Central
(+4.6 percentage points). Three other divisions also experienced
changes of 4.0 percentage points or more: the Pacific (+4.4 points),
East South Central (+4.3 points), and South Atlantic (+4.0 points).
State Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
Fifteen states and the District of Columbia reported jobless rates
of at least 10.0 percent in July. Michigan continued to have the
highest unemployment rate among the states, 15.0 percent. Rhode
Island recorded the next highest rate, 12.7 percent, followed by
Nevada, 12.5 percent; California and Oregon, 11.9 percent each; and
South Carolina, 11.8 percent. The rates in California, Nevada, and
Rhode Island set new series highs, along with the rate in Georgia
(10.3 percent). North Dakota again registered the lowest jobless
rate, 4.2 percent in July. In total, 26 states posted jobless rates
significantly lower than the U.S. figure of 9.4 percent, 14 states and
the District of Columbia had measurably higher rates, and 10 states
had rates that were not significantly different from that of the
nation. (See tables A and 3.)
Eight states reported significant over-the-month unemployment rate
increases in July. Wyoming experienced the largest of these (+0.6
percentage point), followed by Arizona (+0.5 point). Two states,
Vermont (-0.5 percentage point) and Minnesota (-0.3 point), had
significant rate decreases over the month. The remaining 40 states
and the District of Columbia registered July rates that were not
measurably different from those of a month earlier, though some had
changes that were at least as large numerically as the significant
changes. (See table B.)
Michigan reported the largest unemployment rate increase over the
year (+6.7 percentage points). Three states had rates more than 5.0
percentage points higher than a year earlier: Nevada (+5.8 points),
Oregon (+5.6 points), and Alabama (+5.1 points). All states and the
District of Columbia recorded statistically significant increases in
their jobless rates from July 2008, with the smallest increase
occurring in North Dakota (+0.9 percentage point). (See table C.)
Nonfarm Payroll Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)
Between June and July 2009, 12 states experienced statistically
significant changes in employment. Eight states recorded statisti-
cally significant over-the-month increases led by New York (+62,100),
Michigan (+38,100), and Texas (+37,900). The largest statistically
significant decreases occurred in California (-35,800), North Carolina
(-26,400), and Florida (-25,200). (See tables D and 5.)
Over the year, 45 states experienced statistically significant
changes in employment, all of which were decreases. The largest
statistically significant job losses occurred in California
(-760,200), Florida (-401,100), Illinois (-286,500), Michigan
(-280,800), Ohio (-254,700), Texas (-222,500), North Carolina
(-221,900), and Georgia (-205,900). The smallest statistically
significant decreases in employment occurred in Vermont (-12,100),
Wyoming (-9,800), and Montana (-8,000). (See table E.)
______________________________
The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment release for July
is scheduled to be issued on Tuesday, September 1. The Regional and
State Employment and Unemployment release for August is scheduled to
be issued on Friday, September 18.
_____________________________________________________________
| |
| Publication of Metropolitan Area Hours and Earnings Resumed |
| |
| Effective with the release of July 2009 data, BLS has re- |
|sumed publication of the Metropolitan Area hours and earnings|
|series. These series were discontinued from the establish- |
|ment survey in March 2008 due to a reduction in funding that |
|resulted from the 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act en- |
|acted on December 26, 2007. The funds used to produce these |
|series were restored with the 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act|
|enacted on March 11, 2009. For more information, please visit|
|http://www.bls.gov/sae/msapwrestoration.htm. |
| |
|_____________________________________________________________|
Table A. States with unemployment rates significantly differ-
ent from that of the U.S., July 2009, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------
State | Rate (p)
--------------------------------------------------------------
United States (1) ...................| 9.4
|
Alaska ..............................| 8.3
Arkansas ............................| 7.4
California ..........................| 11.9
Colorado ............................| 7.8
Connecticut .........................| 7.8
Delaware ............................| 8.2
District of Columbia ................| 10.6
Florida .............................| 10.7
Georgia .............................| 10.3
Hawaii ..............................| 7.0
|
Illinois ............................| 10.4
Indiana .............................| 10.6
Iowa ................................| 6.5
Kansas ..............................| 7.4
Kentucky ............................| 11.0
Louisiana ...........................| 7.4
Maine ...............................| 8.4
Maryland ............................| 7.3
Michigan ............................| 15.0
Minnesota ...........................| 8.1
|
Montana .............................| 6.7
Nebraska ............................| 4.9
Nevada ..............................| 12.5
New Hampshire .......................| 6.8
New Mexico ..........................| 7.0
New York ............................| 8.6
North Carolina ......................| 11.0
North Dakota ........................| 4.2
Ohio ................................| 11.2
Oklahoma ............................| 6.5
|
Oregon ..............................| 11.9
Pennsylvania ........................| 8.5
Rhode Island ........................| 12.7
South Carolina ......................| 11.8
South Dakota ........................| 4.9
Tennessee ...........................| 10.7
Texas ...............................| 7.9
Utah ................................| 6.0
Vermont .............................| 6.8
Virginia ............................| 6.9
Wyoming .............................| 6.5
--------------------------------------------------------------
1 Data are not preliminary.
p = preliminary.
Table B. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from June 2009 to July 2009, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Rate |
|-----------|-----------| Over-the-month
State | June | July | rate change (p)
| 2009 | 2009 (p) |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arizona ........................| 8.7 | 9.2 | 0.5
Idaho ..........................| 8.4 | 8.8 | .4
Iowa ...........................| 6.2 | 6.5 | .3
Kansas .........................| 7.0 | 7.4 | .4
Minnesota ......................| 8.4 | 8.1 | -.3
Montana ........................| 6.4 | 6.7 | .3
Texas ..........................| 7.5 | 7.9 | .4
Utah ...........................| 5.7 | 6.0 | .3
Vermont ........................| 7.3 | 6.8 | -.5
Wyoming ........................| 5.9 | 6.5 | .6
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
p = preliminary.
Table C. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from July 2008 to July 2009, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Rate |
|-----------|-----------| Over-the-year
State | July | July | rate change (p)
| 2008 | 2009 (p) |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ........................| 5.1 | 10.2 | 5.1
Alaska .........................| 6.7 | 8.3 | 1.6
Arizona ........................| 5.7 | 9.2 | 3.5
Arkansas .......................| 5.0 | 7.4 | 2.4
California .....................| 7.3 | 11.9 | 4.6
Colorado .......................| 4.9 | 7.8 | 2.9
Connecticut ....................| 5.8 | 7.8 | 2.0
Delaware .......................| 4.8 | 8.2 | 3.4
District of Columbia ...........| 7.0 | 10.6 | 3.6
Florida ........................| 6.3 | 10.7 | 4.4
| | |
Georgia ........................| 6.2 | 10.3 | 4.1
Hawaii .........................| 4.0 | 7.0 | 3.0
Idaho ..........................| 5.0 | 8.8 | 3.8
Illinois .......................| 6.7 | 10.4 | 3.7
Indiana ........................| 6.0 | 10.6 | 4.6
Iowa ...........................| 4.1 | 6.5 | 2.4
Kansas .........................| 4.3 | 7.4 | 3.1
Kentucky .......................| 6.5 | 11.0 | 4.5
Louisiana ......................| 4.4 | 7.4 | 3.0
Maine ..........................| 5.4 | 8.4 | 3.0
| | |
Maryland .......................| 4.4 | 7.3 | 2.9
Massachusetts ..................| 5.2 | 8.8 | 3.6
Michigan .......................| 8.3 | 15.0 | 6.7
Minnesota ......................| 5.4 | 8.1 | 2.7
Mississippi ....................| 7.3 | 9.7 | 2.4
Missouri .......................| 6.1 | 9.3 | 3.2
Montana ........................| 4.5 | 6.7 | 2.2
Nebraska .......................| 3.3 | 4.9 | 1.6
Nevada .........................| 6.7 | 12.5 | 5.8
New Hampshire ..................| 3.8 | 6.8 | 3.0
| | |
New Jersey .....................| 5.5 | 9.3 | 3.8
New Mexico .....................| 4.2 | 7.0 | 2.8
New York .......................| 5.4 | 8.6 | 3.2
North Carolina .................| 6.3 | 11.0 | 4.7
North Dakota ...................| 3.3 | 4.2 | .9
Ohio ...........................| 6.7 | 11.2 | 4.5
Oklahoma .......................| 3.9 | 6.5 | 2.6
Oregon .........................| 6.3 | 11.9 | 5.6
Pennsylvania ...................| 5.4 | 8.5 | 3.1
Rhode Island ...................| 7.9 | 12.7 | 4.8
| | |
South Carolina .................| 6.9 | 11.8 | 4.9
South Dakota ...................| 3.0 | 4.9 | 1.9
Tennessee ......................| 6.6 | 10.7 | 4.1
Texas ..........................| 4.9 | 7.9 | 3.0
Utah ...........................| 3.4 | 6.0 | 2.6
Vermont ........................| 4.6 | 6.8 | 2.2
Virginia .......................| 4.0 | 6.9 | 2.9
Washington .....................| 5.3 | 9.1 | 3.8
West Virginia ..................| 4.2 | 9.0 | 4.8
Wisconsin ......................| 4.6 | 9.0 | 4.4
Wyoming ........................| 3.3 | 6.5 | 3.2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
p = preliminary.
Table D. States with statistically significant employment changes from
June 2009 to July 2009, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
| June | July | Over-the-month
State | 2009 | 2009 (p) | change (p)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
California....................| 14,285,400 | 14,249,600 | -35,800
District of Columbia..........| 703,000 | 716,200 | 13,200
Florida.......................| 7,380,000 | 7,354,800 | -25,200
Kansas........................| 1,334,800 | 1,341,100 | 6,300
Maryland......................| 2,541,700 | 2,551,700 | 10,000
Michigan......................| 3,841,300 | 3,879,400 | 38,100
Minnesota.....................| 2,646,700 | 2,657,000 | 10,300
Mississippi...................| 1,124,300 | 1,118,000 | -6,300
New York......................| 8,582,500 | 8,644,600 | 62,100
North Carolina................| 3,938,100 | 3,911,700 | -26,400
Tennessee.....................| 2,649,300 | 2,664,900 | 15,600
Texas.........................| 10,378,900 | 10,416,800 | 37,900
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
p = preliminary.
Table E. States with statistically significant employment changes from
July 2008 to July 2009, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
| July | July | Over-the-year
State | 2008 | 2009 (p) | change (p)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama.......................| 2,000,800 | 1,907,600 | -93,200
Arizona.......................| 2,629,700 | 2,431,400 | -198,300
Arkansas......................| 1,206,000 | 1,178,200 | -27,800
California....................| 15,009,800 | 14,249,600 | -760,200
Colorado......................| 2,356,500 | 2,254,500 | -102,000
Connecticut...................| 1,700,400 | 1,633,400 | -67,000
Delaware......................| 434,300 | 411,100 | -23,200
Florida.......................| 7,755,900 | 7,354,800 | -401,100
Georgia.......................| 4,107,700 | 3,901,800 | -205,900
Hawaii........................| 618,200 | 600,700 | -17,500
| | |
Idaho.........................| 651,500 | 617,400 | -34,100
Illinois......................| 5,956,300 | 5,669,800 | -286,500
Indiana.......................| 2,956,200 | 2,805,900 | -150,300
Iowa..........................| 1,525,100 | 1,478,000 | -47,100
Kansas........................| 1,391,400 | 1,341,100 | -50,300
Kentucky......................| 1,858,500 | 1,775,000 | -83,500
Maine.........................| 617,700 | 596,700 | -21,000
Maryland......................| 2,602,000 | 2,551,700 | -50,300
Massachusetts.................| 3,293,700 | 3,184,300 | -109,400
Michigan......................| 4,160,200 | 3,879,400 | -280,800
| | |
Minnesota.....................| 2,763,900 | 2,657,000 | -106,900
Mississippi...................| 1,144,300 | 1,118,000 | -26,300
Missouri......................| 2,793,200 | 2,717,000 | -76,200
Montana.......................| 446,900 | 438,900 | -8,000
Nevada........................| 1,269,100 | 1,187,300 | -81,800
New Hampshire.................| 645,700 | 630,100 | -15,600
New Jersey....................| 4,058,300 | 3,936,100 | -122,200
New Mexico....................| 847,100 | 817,600 | -29,500
New York......................| 8,836,800 | 8,644,600 | -192,200
North Carolina................| 4,133,600 | 3,911,700 | -221,900
| | |
Ohio..........................| 5,377,600 | 5,122,900 | -254,700
Oklahoma......................| 1,597,900 | 1,564,200 | -33,700
Oregon........................| 1,728,900 | 1,630,300 | -98,600
Pennsylvania..................| 5,804,000 | 5,620,700 | -183,300
Rhode Island..................| 481,400 | 463,900 | -17,500
South Carolina................| 1,929,500 | 1,852,400 | -77,100
Tennessee.....................| 2,776,300 | 2,664,900 | -111,400
Texas.........................| 10,639,300 | 10,416,800 | -222,500
Utah..........................| 1,254,300 | 1,201,600 | -52,700
Vermont.......................| 306,600 | 294,500 | -12,100
| | |
Virginia......................| 3,768,000 | 3,664,000 | -104,000
Washington....................| 2,971,500 | 2,859,400 | -112,100
West Virginia.................| 762,900 | 735,500 | -27,400
Wisconsin.....................| 2,868,300 | 2,751,900 | -116,400
Wyoming.......................| 298,800 | 289,000 | -9,800
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
p = preliminary.