Pa. jobless rate falls to latest post-recession low
Pennsylvania’s jobless rate fell by three-tenths of a percentage point in December for the third straight month, as payrolls crept higher.
The state Department of Labor and Industry said Friday that the seasonally adjusted rate in December was 4.8 percent, Pennsylvania’s post-recession low. That’s down from 5.1 percent in November and 5.7 percent in September.
The U.S. rate is currently 5.6 percent.
In a survey of households, the department estimates that the labor force, or the number of people working or looking for work, fell by 1,000. Employment rose by 13,000, climbing closer to 6.1 million, while unemployment fell by 14,000 to 309,000.
A separate survey of employers found non-farm payrolls grew by 8,000. At just above 5.8 million, payrolls remain below pre-recession levels while the labor force is below its 2012 peak.
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