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WILKES-BARRE — Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate was down 2.3 percentage points over the month to 8.1 percent in September.

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Friday released its employment situation report for September 2020.

The national rate fell 0.5 percentage points from its August level to 7.9 percent.

The commonwealth’s unemployment rate increased by 3.5 percentage points from September 2019, while the national rate was up 4.4 points over the year.

Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force – the estimated number of residents working or looking for work – increased 52,000 over the month as the unemployment count fell by 141,000, while employment rose by 194,000.

Pennsylvania’s total non-farm jobs were up 19,400 over the month to 5,597,800 in September.

Jobs increased in 9 of the 11 industry super-sectors from August levels.

The largest monthly volume gain was in leisure & hospitality, up 16,100 jobs.

Over the past five months, Pennsylvania has recovered 54.2% of the total non-farm jobs lost in March and April.

Over the year, total non=farm jobs in Pennsylvania were down 470,800, with declines in 10 of the 11 super-sectors.

The largest 12-month change among super-sectors was a decline of 147,300 jobs in leisure & hospitality.

Additional information is available on the L&I website at www.dli.pa.gov or by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Note: The above data are seasonally adjusted. Seasonally adjusted data provide the most valid month-to-month comparison.

Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.