NC unemployment rose slightly in December

From the NC Labor and Economic Analysis Division:

Civilian Labor Force
• North Carolina’s December 2012 smoothed seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, at 9.2 percent, increased 0.1
of a percentage point over November 2012. The rate was 10.4 percent in December 2011.
• At 9.2 percent, North Carolina’s December unemployment rate is 1.4 percentage points higher than the United
States’ 7.8 percent rate.
• The number of people unemployed increased 1.6 percent to 438,864.
• During December, North Carolina’s smoothed seasonally adjusted labor force participation rate increased 0.2 of a percentage point to 63.2 percent, while the U.S. rate held at 63.6 percent.
Nonfarm Employment • Seasonally adjusted Total Nonfarm employment for December 2012 increased by 7,900 jobs over the month, and
by 72,400 jobs over the year to 4,004,600.
• Over the month, the following sectors experienced seasonally adjusted job growth: Education & Health Services, 5,900; Professional & Business Services, 5,000; Manufacturing, 700; Information, 500; and Construction, 400. Losses were reported by Financial Activities, 2,000; Leisure & Hospitality Services, 1,300; Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 500; Government, 400; Other Services, 300; and Mining & Logging, 100.
• The major sectors to report over-the-year seasonally adjusted job increases were: Professional & Business Services, 23,300; Education & Health Services, 16,400; Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 15,100; Leisure & Hospitality Services, 12,300; Manufacturing, 7,400; Information, 1,900; Financial Activities, 1,200; and Government, 300.
• Not seasonally adjusted, the following major sectors reported over-the-year job growth: Professional & Business Services, 20,800; Education & Health Services, 15,500; Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 13,800; Leisure & Hospitality Services, 12,500; Manufacturing, 7,700; Information, 1,700; and Financial Activities, 1,500.
• The following sectors in Manufacturing showed over-the-year not seasonally adjusted job increases: Food, 3,000; Wood, 1,300; Machinery,1,000; Transportation Equipment, 1,000; Computer & Electronic Product, 900; Chemical, 800; Electrical Equipment, Appliance & Component, 600; Plastics & Rubber Products, 600; and Furniture & Related Product, 200. Losses were reported in the remaining sectors: Textile Mills, 1,800; Fabricated Metal Product, 900; Apparel, 600; Printing & Related Support Activities, 500; and Textile Product Mills, 500. Beverage & Tobacco Product reported no over-the-year changes.
• Food remains North Carolina’s leading sector in manufacturing employment at 53,900. Chemical follows with 42,900.
Other Information
• Preliminary Average Hourly Earnings in North Carolina for manufacturing production workers increased by 11 cents to $16.71 in December, while Average Weekly Hours rose 24 minutes to 41.6. Average Weekly Earnings increased $11.22 from $683.92 to $695.14.
• North Carolina paid $236.7 million in Unemployment Insurance benefits (all programs) to claimants in December. These payments include state and federally funded benefits.
• The number of Initial Claims filed in North Carolina for Unemployment Insurance benefits increased in December to 62,861. Approximately $115.5 million was paid in regular UI benefits to 110,831 unemployed persons across the state. The average weekly benefit amount was $288.26, which does not include the $25 Federal Additional Compensation (FAC) payment from The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.