Pa.’s unemployment rate dropped to a record low of 3.9% in December

Pennsylvania’s unemployment dropped to a record low of 3.9% in December, according to state data released on Friday.

The commonwealth’s December 2022 unemployment rate is 1.6 percentage points below its December 2021 unemployment rate, data released by the state Department of Labor and Industry showed.

“Pennsylvania’s new record low unemployment rate of 3.9% is encouraging. Pennsylvanians are reentering the workforce, launching new careers and pursuing jobs that sustain their families. Opportunity abounds today for Pennsylvania workers,” acting Labor & Industry Secretary Nancy Walker said. 

“We also know that a historically tight labor market presents its own challenges, particularly for employers who need workers with specialized skill sets. L&I’s role in providing services to workers and employers is as critical as ever, and we are committed to meeting those challenges and building a Pennsylvania economy that works for everyone,” Walker said.

Nationally, the unemployment rate dropped to 3.5%.

In Pennsylvania, non-farm jobs were up 17,000 over the month to 6,040,100 in December.

The department said the state had recovered approximately 95% of the jobs lost in the first two months of the pandemic.