R.I. unemployment remains unchanged in March
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R.I. Unemployment
DLT Director Sandra Powell analyzes the March jobless numbers.
Published: April 17, 2009
Updated: April 17, 2009
Rhode Island’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March remained unchanged from February at 10.5 percent, the state Department of Labor and Training reported Friday.
A year ago, the state’s jobless rate stood at 6.8 percent. The national unemployment rate rose to 8.5 percent in March.
The DLT said the number of unemployed Rhode Island residents increased 100 over the month to reach 59,500.
The department said the state lost 1,900 jobs from February. The declines came in health care and social assistance, construction, wholesale trade, government, professional and business services, information, financial activities and manufacturing.
No industries reported job growth in March.
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Reader Reactions
This number doesn’t reflect the number of people who have actually dropped off the unemployment rolls because their benefits, even their extended benefits have been exhausted! Also, not reflected are the number of workers who are seriously “underemployed”, those who can only find part time jobs or jobs way below their experience and abilities. I hate to be a pessimist, but this number doesn’t mean things are stabilizing or getting better!
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