Virginia unemployment rises

Published December 16, 2016 by Robert Powell, III

Virginia’s unemployment rate rose slightly in November to 4.2 percent.

That rate was up one-tenth of a percentage point from October’s revised rate of 4.1 percent, according to the Virginia Employment Commission.

The numbers are seasonally adjusted, meaning they take into account seasonal fluctuations in the workforce.

Virginia tied Indiana and Maryland in having 17th lowest unemployment rate in the U.S. in November. New Hampshire and South Dakota had lowest rate, 2.7 percent.

Virginia's latest jobless figure. 4.2 percent, was same in November 2015.

The labor force, nonetheless, expanded for the fourth consecutive month to 4.26 million, a record high. The labor force increased by 13,797 people in November as the number of people working and looking for work increased.

The number of in Virginia nonfarm jobs, however, fell by 13,600 in November to 3.9 million after increasing by 43,000 jobs during the previous five months.

The VEC revised October’s previously announced job gain downward by 1,400 jobs to a gain of 3,500 positions.

Seasonally adjusted employment rose in three major industries during November, while falling in six other fields and remaining unchanged in two.

The largest job increase took place in leisure and hospitality, up 1,600 jobs to 398,400. The biggest loss occurred in professional and business services, down 5,900 jobs to 724,000.

Finance and mining were the sectors remaining unchanged at 200,000 and 8,000 jobs, respectively.