Arkansascivilian Labor Force Summary

NewsRelease

ForImmediateRelease:December22, 2017ContactPerson:

Arkansas’UnemploymentRateIncreasesto3.7Percent

ArkansasCivilian Labor Force Summary:

Laborforcedata,producedbytheU.S.DepartmentofLabor,BureauofLaborStatisticsandreleasedtodaybytheArkansasDepartmentofWorkforceServices,showArkansas’seasonallyadjustedunemploymentrateincreasedone-tenthofapercentagepoint,from3.6percentinOctoberto3.7percentinNovember.Arkansas’civilianlaborforcedeclined6,248,aresultof6,784feweremployedand536moreunemployedArkansans.TheUnitedStates’joblessratewasunchangedat4.1percentinNovember.

BLSProgramOperationsManagerSusanPricesaid,“Theunemploymentratein Arkansas roseslightlyinNovember,broughtonbyadeclineinemploymentandthesizeofthecivilianlaborforce.Compared to November2016, there arecurrently36,308 more employedin the State.”

ARKANSASCIVILIANLABORFORCESUMMARY

(SeasonallyAdjusted)

November
2017 / October
2017 / November
2016 / ChangeFrom
October
2017 / ChangeFromNovember
2016
CivilianLaborForce / 1,372,006 / 1,378,254 / 1,338,739 / -6,248 / 33,267
Employment / 1,321,879 / 1,328,663 / 1,285,571 / -6,784 / 36,308
Unemployment / 50,127 / 49,591 / 53,168 / 536 / -3,041
UnemploymentRate / 3.7 / 3.6 / 4.0 / 0.1 / -0.3
U.S.UnemploymentRate / 4.1 / 4.1 / 4.6 / 0.0 / -0.5

Source:U.S.BureauofLaborStatistics,CurrentPopulationSurvey.

Note: DataforMetropolitanStatisticalAreasand minoritiesand youthwillbeavailableonlineJanuary4,2018.

ArkansasNonfarmPayrollJob Summary:

NonfarmpayrolljobsinArkansasdeclined1,800inNovembertototal1,263,000.Threemajorindustrysectorspostedlosses,whilesixincreasedandtwowereunchanged.Employmentinleisureand hospitalitydropped3,800. Amajorityofthedecline occurred infoodservices(-2,800),attributedinparttoreportedstaffreductionsandclosuresatfullservicerestaurants.Jobsinconstructiondecreased1,000,atypicalseasonalloss.Trade,transportation,andutilitiesadded2,100jobs.Mostoftheincreaseoccurredinretailtrade(+2,000),asstoresbegantemporaryhiringfortheholidayshoppingseason.

ComparedtoNovember2016,Arkansas’nonfarmpayrollemploymentisup21,000.Growthwasreportedinsevenmajorindustrysectors,withfouradding3,000ormorejobs,each.Employmentineducationalandhealthservicesincreased5,700.Gainswerepostedinbothhealthcareandsocialassistance(+3,000)andeducationalservices(+2,700).Manufacturingadded4,800jobs,mostlyinnondurablegoodsmanufacturing(+4,700).Jobsinprofessionalandbusinessservicesrose3,700.Increasesoccurredinadministrative-supportservices(+3,200)andprofessional-scientific-technicalservices(+2,400).Constructionreportedmoderategrowth,up3,000.Amajorityoftheexpansionwasinspecialty tradecontractors(+2,300).Othernotablegainswerepostedintrade-transportation-utilities(+2,300),leisureand hospitality(+1,600),andother services (+1,200).

ARKANSASNONFARMPAYROLLJOBS

NotSeasonallyAdjusted

(InThousands)

NorthAmericanIndustryClassificationSystem(NAICS)IndustryGroup2012 / November
2017 / October
2017 / Current
2016 / ChangeFrom
Previous
2017 / ChangeFrom
Current
2016
TotalNonfarmPayrollJobs / 1263.0 / 1264.8 / 1242.0 / -1.8 / 21.0
GoodsProducing / 220.0 / 220.8 / 212.2 / -0.8 / 7.8
Mining,Logging,Construction / 59.2 / 60.1 / 56.2 / -0.9 / 3.0
MiningLogging / 6.1 / 6.0 / 6.1 / 0.1 / 0.0
Construction / 53.1 / 54.1 / 50.1 / -1.0 / 3.0
SpecialtyTradeContractors / 33.7 / 34.3 / 31.4 / -0.6 / 2.3
Manufacturing / 160.8 / 160.7 / 156.0 / 0.1 / 4.8
DurableGoods / 73.7 / 73.6 / 73.6 / 0.1 / 0.1
NondurableGoods / 87.1 / 87.1 / 82.4 / 0.0 / 4.7
ServiceProviding / 1043.0 / 1044.0 / 1029.8 / -1.0 / 13.2
Trade,Transportation,Utilities / 257.0 / 254.9 / 254.7 / 2.1 / 2.3
WholesaleTrade / 47.9 / 47.8 / 46.2 / 0.1 / 1.7
RetailTrade / 144.2 / 142.2 / 143.4 / 2.0 / 0.8
Transportation,Warehousing,Utilities / 64.9 / 64.9 / 65.1 / 0.0 / -0.2
Information / 13.1 / 13.1 / 13.5 / 0.0 / -0.4
FinancialActivities / 51.2 / 51.0 / 51.3 / 0.2 / -0.1
FinanceInsurance / 38.1 / 37.9 / 38.2 / 0.2 / -0.1
RealEstateRentalLeasing / 13.1 / 13.1 / 13.1 / 0.0 / 0.0
ProfessionalBusinessServices / 149.9 / 149.9 / 146.2 / 0.0 / 3.7
Professional,Scientific,Technical / 45.3 / 44.4 / 42.9 / 0.9 / 2.4
ManagementofCompanies / 33.8 / 33.8 / 35.7 / 0.0 / -1.9
AdministrativeSupportServices / 70.8 / 71.7 / 67.6 / -0.9 / 3.2
EducationalHealthServices / 191.7 / 191.3 / 186.0 / 0.4 / 5.7
EducationalServices / 19.4 / 19.3 / 16.7 / 0.1 / 2.7
HealthCareSocialAssistance / 172.3 / 172.0 / 169.3 / 0.3 / 3.0
AmbulatoryHealthCare / 59.1 / 59.2 / 55.2 / -0.1 / 3.9
SocialAssistance / 39.0 / 38.7 / 39.9 / 0.3 / -0.9
LeisureHospitality / 115.7 / 119.5 / 114.1 / -3.8 / 1.6
Arts,Entertainment,Recreation / 9.7 / 10.4 / 9.3 / -0.7 / 0.4
AccommodationFoodServices / 106.0 / 109.1 / 104.8 / -3.1 / 1.2
AccommodationServices / 12.0 / 12.3 / 11.1 / -0.3 / 0.9
FoodServices / 94.0 / 96.8 / 93.7 / -2.8 / 0.3
OtherServices / 49.2 / 50.0 / 48.0 / -0.8 / 1.2
Government / 215.2 / 214.3 / 216.0 / 0.9 / -0.8
FederalGovernment / 20.2 / 20.2 / 20.4 / 0.0 / -0.2
StateGovernment / 80.4 / 80.1 / 80.0 / 0.3 / 0.4
LocalGovernment / 114.6 / 114.0 / 115.6 / 0.6 / -1.0

Source:MonthlySurveyofEmployers.

Notes: Estimatesarebasedonthe firstquarter2016benchmark.

Currentmonth’sdataarepreliminary;previousmonth’sdataarerevised.