North Carolina’s March Employment Figures Released

RALEIGH —The state’s seasonally adjusted March unemployment rate was 5.5 percent, remaining unchanged from February’s revised rate. The national rate increased 0.1 of a percentage point to 5.0 percent.

North Carolina’s March 2016 unemployment rate was 0.3 of a percentage point lower than a year ago. The number of people employed increased 34,284 over the month to 4,591,429 and increased 128,774 over the year. The number of people unemployed decreased 131 over the month to 265,918, and decreased 7,017 over the year.

Seasonally adjusted Total Nonfarm industry employment, as gathered through the monthly establishment survey, increased 12,500 to 4,308,700 in March. The major industries with the largest over-the-month increases were Trade, Transportation & Utilities at 6,600, followed by Professional & Business Services, 3,900; Education & Health Services, 3,000; Other Services, 1,100; Leisure & Hospitality Services, 1,000; Financial Activities, 100; and Manufacturing, 100. Major industries experiencing decreases were Government, 1,500; Construction, 800; Information, 800; and Mining & Logging, 200.

* Please note: 2015 Numbers Have Been Annually Revised *

Since March 2015, Total Nonfarm jobs gained 104,300 with the Total Private sector growing by 100,600 and Government increasing by 3,700. The largest over-the-year increase among major industries was Professional & Business Services at 28,400, followed by Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 27,400; Leisure & Hospitality Services, 16,300; Construction, 10,500; Education & Health Services, 7,500; Other Services, 6,100; Financial Activities, 4,200; Government, 3,700; Manufacturing, 1,300. Major industries experiencing decreases were Information, 1000; and Mining & Logging, 100.

The next unemployment update is scheduled for Wednesday, April 27, 2016 when the county unemployment rates for March 2016 will be released.