May jobless rates in Washington, Greene up slightly
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The jobless rate in Washington and Greene counties was up slightly in May, according to the latest statistics provided Tuesday by the state Department of Labor & Industry.
In Washington County, the preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for May stood at 5.6 percent, up one-tenth of a percent from April’s final rate of 5.5 percent.
In Greene County, the May preliminary seasonally adjusted rate was 6.0 percent, up two-tenths of a percent from April’s final rate of 5.8 percent.
According to figures from L&I’s Center for Workforce Information & Analysis in Harrisburg, Washington County had a civilian Labor force of 107,300 in May, with 101,300 employed and 6,000 without work.
In Greene County, where the civilian labor force for May was 18,600, there were 17,500 employed and 1,100 looking for work.
The latest local figures followed a slight tick upward in the seasonally adjusted jobless rate Center for the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area, which registered a 0.1 percent increase in May to 5.4 percent from April’s final rate of 5.3 percent.
The Pittsburgh MSA includes Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties and the city of Pittsburgh.
Analysts said noted that the May seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for Pennsylvania and the nation went up one-tenth to 5.4 and 5.5 percent, respectively.
Within the Pittsburgh MSA, butler County had the lowest rate at 4.8 percent, while Fayette County held the highest rate at 7.7 percent. Unemployment rates across Pennsylvania ranged from 4.0 percent in Chester County to 8.0 percent in Forest County.
Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs in the Pittsburgh MSA increased 11,400 to 1,185,400 in May. Over the year, jobs were up 2.1 percent (23,900) in the MSA, while statewide jobs grew 1.2 percent.
Retail trade added 1,600 jobs in May as local stores ramped up seasonal hiring. Some area colleges and universities reached the end of the spring semester, which resulted in job losses in educational services (-2,100) and state government (-500).