13.1 Percent Of Pennsylvanians Unemployed In May

PENNSYLVANIA — The state's unemployment rate sat at 13.1 percent for the month of May, newly released statistics show, stark numbers which reflect the scope and severity of the impact of coronavirus on the state's economy. This is a dramatic turnaround from historically low rates just one year ago, but it also reflects a notable improvement from last month.

The unemployment rate was just 3.8 percent in April 2019, a near record low and the lowest it had been since 1976.

Overall for the past year, the total number of nonfarm jobs in the state is down by 863,800, according to information from the Department of Labor and Industry, which tracked losses in all 11 of the state's biggest employment sectors. Leisure and hospitality has, unsurprisingly, been hit the hardest of all sectors, accounting for 300,100 job losses this year alone.

In May 2019, the total number of employed residents in Pennsylvania was 6,222,000 — a record high.

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Yet, things are clearly trending in the right direction as stimulus programs kicked in and some sectors of the economy began to slowly reopen. The percentage of unemployed individuals in the state decreased by three percent from April into May 2020. In fact, the increase in total jobs statewide over this period, 198,300, is a historic record.

Construction has seen the biggest boon so far, increasing by 77,400 jobs over the past month and already recovering two thirds of its losses from the start of the pandemic.

A further reason for optimism: the statistics for May 2020 were gathered early in the month, prior to a large chunk of counties moving to the yellow phase and sparking the economy once more.