RALEIGH — North Carolina’s labor market retracted last month and even with an employment increase of 16,500 workers, the unemployment rate for August was 10.4 percent.
“Since January, the data shows private sector job growth,” said ESC Chairman Lynn R. Holmes. “The Employment Security Commission continues to work with our workforce development partners to provide assistance to our customers statewide.”
Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm industry employment, as gathered through the monthly establishment survey increased by 16,500 to 3,882,500 in August. The largest over-the-month employment increase occurred in government (+13,600). Since January, private sector jobs have increased by 31,600. The government sector is down 11,000 in that same time frame.
This marks the 3rd month in a row that North Carolina’s unemployment has increased. 2011 numbers have been January 9.8%, February 9.8%, March, 9.7% April 9.7%, May 9.7%, June 9.9%, July 10.1% and now August 10.4%
The household survey shows the number of people unemployed increased by 11,747, to 468,140. The number of people employed decreased by 14,524 (seasonally adjusted), to 4,030,903. Since this time last year, the number of people unemployed has increased by 14,556. The state unemployment rate in August 2010 was 10.1 percent.
The national unemployment rate stayed the same at 9.1%. The last time North Carolina had an unemployment rate of 10.4% or higher was in May of 2010.
The next unemployment update is scheduled for Friday, September 23, when the county unemployment rates for the month of August will be released.