According to the North Carolina Employment Security Commission, the state unemployment rate climbed to 11.2 percent, as 8,596 people joined the more than half a million workers who can’t find a job. There are now 510,774 people in North Carolina who are actively looking for work without a job.
“Our data shows how difficult economic recovery can be,” ESC Chairman Lynn Holmes said. “It’s going to take many consecutive months of job gains to get employment levels back up. We continue to provide job search assistance, employment insurance benefits to those who are eligible and many of our other services at 89 offices statewide.”
North Carolina’s unemployment rate hovered around 11 percent since last May before climbing the past two months to the new record high. In the past year, unemployment has increased 59,997 people and employment is down by more than 89,000 workers. The state unemployment rate a year ago was 9.8 percent. The ESC is reporting that the labor force is seeing signs of recovery.
“Over the last two reporting periods, we have seen a net increase in job creation, though during the current period there has been a slight decrease in jobs” said Holmes. “We are seeing an increased re-engagement into the state’s labor force with a gain of over 11,000 in February. While we remain cautious, this could be a sign that more people are re-entering the labor force they believe more work is available.”
Manufacturing, again, suffered the most, as the industry lost 2,400 jobs in February while education and health services gained 2,600 jobs. ESC spokesperson Andy James said the work force increase comes from several factors like new graduates looking for work, a person out of a job is trying to find a new one, housewives seeking employment, new comers to North Carolina and unemployment benefits have begun to expire.
Staff Writer Eliot Duke can be reached at 888-3578, or duke@tvilletimes.com.
Post a Comment
