Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate down to 4.8% in April

WILKES-BARRE —Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate was down one-tenth of a percentage point over the month to 4.8% in April — and more than 80% of jobs lost since the pandemic started have been recovered

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Friday released its preliminary employment situation report for April 2022.

The U.S. unemployment rate was unchanged over the month, remaining at 3.6%.

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,” said L&I Secretary Jennifer Berrier. “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. 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 non-farm jobs were up 11,400 over the month to 5,917,800 in April.

Jobs increased from March in six of the 11 industry super-sectors.

Manufacturing (+5,200) had the largest gain from March. Over the year, total non-farm jobs were up 210,300 with gains in 10 of the 11 super-sectors. Leisure & hospitality had the largest 12-month gain, adding 69,200 jobs.

Three super-sectors – 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.

Additional information is available on the L&I website at www.dli.pa.gov or by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Note: The above data are seasonally adjusted. Seasonally adjusted data provide the most valid month-to-month comparison. April data are preliminary and subject to revision.