Pennsylvania jobless rate rises, gap between US rate widens
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate rose again last month, and it now lags the national unemployment rate by the widest gap in more than a decade.
The state Department of Labor and Industry said Friday that Pennsylvania’s jobless rate rose to 5.7 percent in August. That’s the fifth monthly increase in the last six months since it was 4.6 percent in February. The national rate was 4.9 percent in August.
Meanwhile, a survey of employers found that seasonally adjusted non-farm payrolls slid by about 900 jobs in August, remaining below 5.9 million and March’s record high.
The civilian labor force shrank by 7,000 after hitting a record high above 6.54 million in May. Employment dropped by 10,000 while unemployment grew by 3,000.
Friday’s figures are preliminary and could change.