February Jobless Rate Holds Steady At 7.2%

Arkansas’ February unemployment rate held steady from January at 7.2% and dipped one-tenth of a point lower from the previous year.

The Arkansas Department of Workforce Services reported a drop-off in the civilian labor force, which led to fewer employed and unemployed Arkansans.

Nearly 6,400 workers dropped out of the workforce between January and February, while 600 fell off the unemployment rolls.

DWS officials noted that the state’s jobless rate was eight-tenths of a percent lower than February 2011.

“While Arkansas’ unemployment rate remained steady this month, the rate is still one-tenth of a percentage point lower than it was in February 2012. The rate is significantly lower than in February 2011, when the rate was 8.0 percent,” said spokesperson Kimberly Friedman.

In a year-over-year look at sector employment from the monthly survey of employers, trade and transportation as well as education and health services experienced big rises in jobs. Construction, mining, and government jobs declined.

SECTOR GAINERS
February 2012 vs. 2011
+ 200 Manufacturing
+8,900 Trade/Transportation/Utilities
+ 200 Financial
+2,600 Education/Health
+ 700 Leisure/Hospitality

SECTOR DECLINERS
February 2012 vs. 2011
-1,400 Mining/Logging
-2,900 Construction
– 500 Information
– 900 Professional/Business
-1,000 Government
-1,900 Other

You can access the full report here.