Turbulence In Jobs Report Leads To Uptick In Unemployment Rate

For the second straight month, Arkansas' labor force declined but in July the employed dropouts outpaced the unemployed dropouts.

Arkansas' unemployment rate rose one-tenth of a percent to 7.3% in July. The state rate is nearly a full point below a year ago when unemployment stood at 8.2%.  The U.S. jobless rate rose one-tenth to 8.3% in July.

Arkansas’ civilian labor force declined 3,400, a result of 1,400 more unemployed and 4,800 fewer employed Arkansans, according to the state Department of Workforce Services (DWS).

The state's civilian labor force stood at 1,383,000 in July, while the number of unemployed swelled to 100,700, up from 99,300 in June. Arkansas unemployment had not dropped below 100,000 since early 2009 when recession forces pounded the state's labor market.

“Arkansas’ unemployment rate rose one-tenth of a percentage point, as the number of employed Arkansans decreased. This minor rate increase is within historical trends for July,” said DWS Communications Director Kimberly Friedman. “There are still 28,800

more employed Arkansans than in July
2011.”

SECTOR GAINERS, DECLINERS
For the month of July, there was a big improvement in manufacturing as 1,000 new jobs were added. It pulled manufacturing employment up to the same levels as one year ago.

Government jobs experienced a monthly drop-off of 14,400 workers mostly due to seasonal employment related to schools.  Year-over-year, government employment is still up 3,600.

In other year-over-year comparisons, Trade and transportation jobs rose by 900, education and health services increased employment by 7,200 and leisure and hospitality jobs improved by 3,400 workers.

Construction employment is off-pace by 4,800 workers from a year ago. Other declining industry segments include professional and business services (-600) and information technology jobs (-300).

You can access the full report from DWS here.