After 4-Month Lull, Low NC Unemployment Rate Rises Slightly

Written by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

North Carolina’s historically low unemployment rate rose slightly in August, the state Commerce Department reported on Friday.

Last month’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.5% — ending a four-month run in which the rate stood at 3.4%.

For now, the August rate marks the first monthly increase since April 2020, when business restrictions at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic caused the jobless rate to soar to 14.2%. Regular annual revisions to the monthly rates have been completed through 2021.

Before this year, the monthly rate hadn’t fallen to 3.4% since 2000, according to department data.

The August figures show overall employment grew by close to 1,400 workers, to well over 4.9 million. But it was outpaced by an increase of the unemployed of 7,900 to 179,560 people. Still, the number of unemployed has fallen by 57,550 over the past year.

With another counting format based on monthly worksite surveys, the agency reported seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment rose by 10,100 to 4.8 million. The leisure and hospitality services industry and professional and business services sector saw sizeable numeric increases in employment, while government employment had a decline of 4,900 workers.

Photo via AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis.

‹

North Carolina Unemployment Rate Drops to 4.1% in October

Written by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS North Carolina’s jobless rate fell further in October to 4.1%, the state Commerce Department said on Friday, as the overall number of people employed kept growing. The seasonally adjusted rate compares to a revised September rate of 4.3%. The number of people employed in the state grew in October by […]

N. Carolina Jobless Rate Inches Closer to Pre-Pandemic Level

North Carolina’s unemployment rate fell for the 10th consecutive month in July, the state Commerce Department reported on Friday, inching the percentage ever closer to pre-pandemic levels. The seasonally adjusted jobless rate of 4.4% came as the number of employed rose by 8,360 workers compared to June, when the rate was 4.6%. The national rate […]

North Carolina Unemployment Rate Falls to 5.2% In March

North Carolina’s unemployment rate fell sharply in March, state officials announced on Friday, as the number of people holding jobs grew by over 11,000 compared to the month before. The seasonally adjusted jobless rate decreased from 5.7% in February to 5.2%, the state Commerce Department said in a news release, marking sixth consecutive month of […]

NC Jobless Rate Falls in February for 5th Straight Month

North Carolina’s unemployment rate fell for the fifth consecutive month in February, the state Commerce Department said on Friday, as the state economy continues to recover from the COVID-19 recession. The seasonally adjusted jobless rate was 5.7%, compared to 5.9% in January. The state unemployment rate spiked at 13.5% last spring as Gov. Roy Cooper […]

North Carolina's Unemployment Rate Rises to 7.3% in September

North Carolina’s unemployment rate rose in September, state officials announced on Tuesday, as the number of additional jobs filled didn’t keep pace with people returning to the workforce as pandemic restrictions were lifted further. The seasonally adjusted jobless rate of 7.3% compares to 6.5% in August, the state Department of Commerce said in a news […]

Pandemic Leads to 2.49 Million Unemployment Claims in NC

The number of people in North Carolina who’ve applied for unemployment benefits since the coronavirus pandemic began is at 1.31 million. The Winston-Salem Journal reports that the figure was released Monday in a report from the N.C. Division of Employment Security. The agency said that some people have reached the end of one unemployment benefit program and […]

Initial Unemployment Claims Slightly Drop in North Carolina

North Carolina’s initial unemployment-insurance benefit claims showed a slight downward trend last week. The Winston-Salem Journal reported Thursday that the state had 12,591 claims for the week that ended Sept. 19. The number is slightly down from a revised 13,437 the previous week. Since the pandemic began, the highest weekly total for unemployment insurance claims […]

NC Unemployment Rate Higher Even as Employed Number Grows

North Carolina’s unemployment rate rose in July, the state announced on Friday, even as the overall number of people working grew compared to the previous month. The 8.5% jobless rate reflected a large return of North Carolina residents to the workforce last month, as businesses previously under COVID-19 operating restrictions or closures continue to re-emerge. June’s seasonally adjusted unemployment […]

Audit: Too Many Payment Errors in Chief NC Jobless Program

Written by GARY D. ROBERTSON There are too many monetary payment errors by North Carolina’s unemployment office for its chief jobless benefits program, according to a state auditor’s report released Wednesday. The performance audit of the state Division of Employment Security examined the North Carolina Unemployment Insurance program from April 2016 through March 2021. Auditors also […]

After 4-Month Lull, Low NC Unemployment Rate Rises Slightly

Written by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS North Carolina’s historically low unemployment rate rose slightly in August, the state Commerce Department reported on Friday. Last month’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.5% — ending a four-month run in which the rate stood at 3.4%. For now, the August rate marks the first monthly increase since April 2020, when […]

›