North Carolina’s February Employment Figures Released

The state’s seasonally adjusted February unemployment rate was 3.9 percent, increasing 0.1 of a percentage point from January’s revised rate. The national rate decreased 0.2 of a percentage point to 3.8 percent.

North Carolina’s February 2019 unemployment rate decreased 0.3 of a percentage point from a year ago. The number of people employed increased 8,831 over the month to 4,817,920 and increased 57,152 over the year. The number of people unemployed increased 3,712 over the month to 194,753 and decreased 12,502 over the year.

Seasonally adjusted Total Nonfarm industry employment, as gathered through the monthly establishment survey, increased 3,800 to 4,536,000 in February. The major industries with the largest over-the-month increases were Leisure & Hospitality Services at 3,000, followed by Professional & Business Services, 1,300; Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 1,000; Manufacturing, 900; Other Services, 900; Financial Activities, 300; and Government, 200. Major industries experiencing decreases were Education & Health Services, 2,100; Construction, 1,600; and Information, 100. Mining & Logging employment remained unchanged.

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Since February 2018, Total Nonfarm jobs gained 64,800 with the Total Private sector growing by 66,200 and Government decreasing by 1,400. The largest over-the-year increase among major industries was Leisure & Hospitality Services, 19,700, followed by Professional & Business Services, 13,200; Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 11,800; Education & Health Services, 7,300; Construction, 6,000; Financial Activities, 5,100; Manufacturing, 3,300; and Other Services, 1,000. Major industries experiencing decreases were Government, 1,400; Information, 1,000; and Mining & Logging, 200.

The next unemployment update is scheduled for Wednesday, April 3, 2019 when the county unemployment rates for February 2019 will be released.