HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) has released its preliminary employment situation report for April 2022.
Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate was down one-tenth of a percentage point over the month to 4.8 percent in April. The U.S. unemployment rate was unchanged over the month, remaining at 3.6 percent. The commonwealth’s unemployment rate was 2.1 percentage points below its April 2021 level and the national rate was down 2.4 percentage points over the year.
“Two years ago, in April 2020, COVID-19 slammed into Pennsylvania’s economy and caused the commonwealth’s unemployment rate to skyrocket to 16.2 percent, more than three times the rate of the previous month. While the crisis of the pandemic is not yet entirely behind us, we continue to see the resilience of Pennsylvania’s workers and businesses reflected in the gradual decline of our unemployment rate, now at 4.8 percent,” said L&I Secretary Jennifer Berrier. “Pennsylvanians are working, businesses are hiring, and the commonwealth’s economy is rebounding.”
Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force – the estimated number of residents working or looking for work – increased 23,000 over the month. The employment count rose 28,000 (to 6,102,000) while resident unemployment declined 5,000 (to 308,000).
Pennsylvania’s total nonfarm jobs were up 11,400 over the month to 5,917,800 in April. Jobs increased from March in six of the 11 industry supersectors. Manufacturing (+5,200) had the largest gain from March. Over the year, total nonfarm jobs were up 210,300 with gains in 10 of the 11 supersectors. Leisure & hospitality had the largest 12-month gain, adding 69,200 jobs. Three supersectors – trade, transportation and utilities; information; professional and business services – were above their pre-pandemic job levels in April 2022.
From April 2020 through April 2022, Pennsylvania has recovered approximately 84 percent of jobs lost in the first two months of the pandemic period.
