State Non-farm Jobs Increase vs. Last Year
ShareSOURCE: Fredericksburg Freelance Star
The number of non-farm jobs in Virginia rose in June from the year before for the first time in 22 months, according to data released yesterday by the Virginia Employment Commission.
Nonfarm payroll employment increased in Virginia last month by 22,600 jobs compared with May and 1,500 jobs compared with June 2009.
The number of Virginians receiving a regular unemployment benefit payment declined by about a third from June 2009.
Virginia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 7 percent in June, down from 7.1 percent in May but up from 6.9 percent in June 2009. The jobless rate has now declined for three straight months.
Virginia's jobless rate remains well below the national rate, which was 9.5 percent in June, though it's still above historical averages.
Nevada, at 14.2 percent, had the nation's highest unemployment rate in June. The next-highest state rates were Michigan, California and Rhode Island. North Dakota had the lowest rate at 3.6 percent, followed by South Dakota and Nebraska.
Between May and June in Virginia, the leisure and hospitality industry had the largest job gains, followed by trade and transportation, manufacturing, private education and health services and finance employment.
Total government employment declined between May and June in Virginia, due in part to the elimination of temporary jobs collecting information for the annual U.S. census.
