Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate has decreased for the sixth consecutive month, to 6.4 percent in August, according to state data released Friday. That’s 1.2 percent higher than the national rate of 5.2 percent.
Department of Labor & Industry data confirmed that the commonwealth’s unemployment rate was 3.8 percentage points lower than its August 2020 level.
The number of Pennsylvanians looking for work decreased by more than 7,000 people over the month. The department largely attributed the change to a drop in unemployment.
Nonfarm jobs in Pennsylvania were up 5,100 over the month, climbing to more than 5.7 million in August.
The Leisure & hospitality sector had the largest 12-month gain, adding more than 66,000 jobs.
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