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WILKES-BARRE — Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate is at a record low — 3.9 percent — the lowest since 1976.
And jobs numbers hit another record high — the biggest gain coming in professional and business services jobs.
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Friday released its employment situation report for March 2019.
Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate decreased one-tenth of a percentage point to a record low 3.9 percent in March — the lowest rate since 1976.
The national rate was unchanged from February at 3.8 percent.
The Pennsylvania unemployment rate declined by one-half of a percentage point from March 2018.
The estimated number of Pennsylvania residents working or looking for work, known as the civilian labor force, was up 5,000 over the month.
The number of employed Pennsylvanians rose by 10,000 to a record high of 6,219,000.
The number of unemployed residents was down 6,000 from February to its lowest level since it was matched in August 2000.
The estimated number of jobs in Pennsylvania — referred to as total non-farm jobs — was up 4,000 from February to a record high of 6,044,500.
Highlights from this month’s jobs report include:
• Fourth consecutive gain as well as fourth consecutive record high.
• Total non-farm jobs increased from February in six of the 11 industry super-sectors.
• The largest volume change was in professional and business services, up 2,200.
• Education & health services and leisure & hospitality both rose to record high job levels.
• Over the past 12 months, jobs increased 0.8 percent in the commonwealth with gains in eight of the 11 super-sectors. Education & health services had the largest volume 12-month gain.
Additional information is available on the L&I website at www.dli.pa.gov or on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
Note: The above data are seasonally adjusted. Seasonally adjusted data provide the most valid month-to-month comparison.