August employment in North Carolina down 1 percent from last year but still above national average

Press release

from the North Carolina Department of Commerce

Civilian Labor Force
• North Carolina’s August 2012 smoothed seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, at 9.7 percent, increased 0.1 of a percentage point over July 2012. The rate was 10.7 percent in August 2011.

• At 9.7 percent, North Carolina’s August unemployment rate is 1.6 percentage points higher than the United States’
8.1 percent rate.

• The number of people unemployed increased 1.3 percent to 451,642.
During August, North Carolina’s smoothed seasonally adjusted labor force participation rate fell 0.1 of a percentage point from July’s revised 62.1 percent, while the U.S. rate fell 0.2 of a percentage point to 63.5 percent.

Nonfarm Employment
• Seasonally adjusted Total Nonfarm employment for August 2012 increased by 1,100 jobs over the month, and
gained 27,800 jobs over the year to 3,953,400.

• Over the month, the following sectors experienced seasonally adjusted job growth: Government, 8,400; Other Services, 1,200; Professional & Business Services, 800; Education & Health Services, 600; and Information, 300. The remaining sectors reported over-the-month losses: Construction, 3,400; Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 2,500; Manufacturing, 2,300; Financial Activities, 1,000; and Leisure & Hospitality Services, 1,000. Mining & Logging reported no change.

• The major sectors to report over-the-year seasonally adjusted job increases were: Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 12,600; Education & Health Services, 10,400; Professional & Business Services, 7,000; Manufacturing, 4,200; Leisure & Hospitality Services, 3,200; Financial Activities, 1,900; Other Services, 300; and Information, 100.

• Not seasonally adjusted, the following major sectors reported over-the-year job growth: Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 12,100; Education & Health Services, 9,600; Professional & Business Services, 6,500; Manufacturing 3,900; Leisure & Hospitality Services, 3,400;Financial Activities, 1,900; and Other Services, 200.

• The following sectors in Manufacturing showed over-the-year not seasonally adjusted job increases: Machinery, 2,500; Food, 1,200; Computer & Electronic Product, 800; Electrical Equipment, Appliance & Component, 800; Fabricated Metal Product, 700; Transportation Equipment, 600; Furniture & Related Product, 500; Beverage & Tobacco Product, 300; Plastics & Rubber Products, 200; and Wood, 100. Losses were reported in the remaining sectors: Textile Mills, 2,100; Apparel, 600; Textile Product Mills, 600; Printing & Related Support Activities, 500; and Chemical, 100.
Food remains North Carolina’s leading sector in manufacturing employment at 52,800. Chemical follows with 42,400.

Other Information
• Preliminary Average Hourly Earnings in North Carolina for manufacturing production workers fell by 23 cents in August to $16.34, while Average Weekly Hours increased by 30 minutes to 40.9. Average Weekly Earnings decreased $1.12 from $669.43 to $668.31.

• North Carolina paid $208.6 million in Unemployment Insurance benefits (all programs) to claimants in August. These payments include state and federally funded benefits.

• The number of Initial Claims filed in North Carolina for Unemployment Insurance benefits decreased in August to 51,446. Approximately $99 million was paid in regular UI benefits to 100,861 unemployed persons across the state. The average weekly benefit amount was $289.04, which does not include the $25 Federal Additional Compensation (FAC) payment from The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.