Pa. unemployment rate drops to 6 percent in March
Pennsylvania’s jobless rate has continued its steady decline.
The state Department of Labor and Industry says unemployment fell two-tenths of a percentage point to 6 percent in March. That’s the lowest rate since October 2008.
The national jobless rate was unchanged at 6.7 percent last month.
The data released Friday indicates Pennsylvania’s labor force — or the number of people working or searching for work — rose last month by 12,000.
Overall, the number of unemployed residents dropped for the eighth consecutive month. The March figure fell by 8,000 to 390,000.
Total nonfarm jobs decreased by 8,400. The department says the drop was concentrated in the private sector, as government jobs remained at their February level.
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