SALT LAKE CITY —The Beehive State jobless rate held steady last month.
The state Department of Workforce Services reported Friday that Utah’s nonfarm payroll employment for August 2013 grew by an estimated 2.7 percent, adding 33,200 jobs to the economy compared to August 2012. The state’s current employment level registered at 1,283,700.
The August seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate increased 0.01 percent from July to 4.7 percent. Approximately 65,300 individuals were considered to be unemployed and actively seeking work, the report states. The national jobless rate fell one-tenth to 7.3 percent for the month.
Department of Workforce Services chief economist Carrie Mayne said Utah’s rate of job growth dropped noticeably from last month to a rate that is below Utah’s long-run average of 3.1 percent. While the unemployment rate increased, so too did the number of employed individuals and the total number of workers in the labor force, she explained.
All of the 11 private sector industries observed posted net job increases in August as compared to last year, the report said. The largest increases were in trade, transportation and utilities, which added 10,500 jobs; leisure and hospitality — which added 6,800 jobs; along with education and health adding 5,500 jobs. However, government employment overall contracted by 6,200 jobs during the same period, the report states.