Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate falls to 5.4 percent in December

HARRISBURG, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry Friday released its preliminary unemployment report for December 2021.

Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate was down three-tenths of a percentage point over the month to 5.4 percent in December. During that same time, the U.S. rate also fell three-tenths of a percentage point to 3.9 percent. Over the year, the commonwealth’s unemployment rate was 1.7 percentage points below its December 2020 level and the national rate was down 2.8 points.

Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force – the estimated number of residents working or looking for work – decreased 18,000 over the month.

Pennsylvania’s total nonfarm jobs were up 14,300 over the month to 5,804,600 in December. Jobs increased in eight of the 11 industry supersectors. Trade, transportation & utilities – which increased by 9,400 – made up the largest share of the December gain. The next largest increase was a boost of 3,300 leisure & hospitality jobs. The largest volume drop from November was in professional & business services, down 4,100. Over the year, total nonfarm jobs were up 202,200 with gains in 10 of the 11 supersectors. Leisure & hospitality had the largest 12-month gain, adding back 80,400 jobs. All supersectors remained below their pre-pandemic February 2020 job levels as of December 2021.

Meanwhile Mike Flanagan, Clinton County Economic Partnership President/CEO, on Friday provided an update on local employment statistics: There were 87 Clinton County residents who applied for initial unemployment benefits for the week ending January 8. One year ago, that number was 160. The continued unemployment claim number was 466 for the first week of January 2022. Approximately one year ago, the continued claim number in the county was 1,133.