Vermont's unemployment rate for November fell three-tenths of a point to 5.3 percent, as both the labor force and total employment grew over both the October levels and over November 2010. This is the lowest rate since April, before the first of two floods hit the state. It's also the fewest number of unemployed since November 2008, just as the national recession was beginning.

Vermont Labor Force Statistics

Seasonally Adjusted



Change to

November 2011 from



November

2011

October

2011

November

2010

October

2011

November

2010

Total Labor Force

363,200

362,800

360,800

400

2,400

Employment

344,100

342,400

339,800

1,700

4,300

Unemployment

19,100

20,300

21,000

-1,200

-1,900

Rate

5.3%

5.6%

5.8%

-0.3

-0.5



















Compared to a year ago, the rate is lower by five-tenths of a percentage point. The current comparable national rate is 8.6 percent which reflects a decrease of four-tenths of a percent from the previous month. Over the past three months, Vermont’s seasonally-adjusted statewide unemployment rate has declined by six-tenths of a percent.

‘This is obviously good news for Vermont as one measure of our economic health. This is the 3rd consecutive month reporting a decline in the unemployment rate’, said Labor Commissioner Annie Noonan. ‘We may, however, see an increase in unemployment claims during the upcoming winter months from seasonal layoffs. There has also been some delayed hiring in the ski industry due to the warm weather this season.’

‘Vermont businesses in many industries are hiring, particularly in manufacturing, computer and web design, health care, engineering, retail, food services and hospitality. Vermonters who are unemployed or looking to change jobs should come into a Department of Labor regional office and work with our staff for employment assistance. We can connect job seekers to employment opportunities; provide information about training, internship and apprenticeship programs, and services for youth, low income adults, dislocated workers, mature workers, and Vermont veterans. In order to put this State on the best path to prosperity, we need to be able to match Vermonters to jobs in our state; and to do that we need Vermont businesses to list their job openings with the Department of Labor, and then be committed to hiring a well-qualified Vermonter for the job. Our goal at the Department of Labor is to find a job for every unemployed and under-employed Vermonter,’ said Noonan.

State of Vermont Overview

The Vermont seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by three-tenths of a percent in November to 5.3 percent. The comparable rate over the same time period for the United States was 8.6 percent reflecting a decrease of four-tenths of a percent. The seasonally-adjusted Vermont data show the total Vermont labor force grew by 400. Total employment increased by 1,700 while total unemployment declined by 1,200. The over the month changes to the total employment and total unemployment were statistically significant. Aside from the four month span between March and June of 2011, this is the first time since November 2008 that Vermont total unemployment has been below 20,000.

November unemployment rates for Vermont’s 17 labor market areas ranged from 3.4 percent in Hartford to 7.0 percent in Newport (note: local labor market area unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted). For comparison, the November unadjusted unemployment rate for Vermont was 4.7 percent which reflects an increase of one-tenth of a percent from the October level and a decline of one percent from a year ago.

Analysis of Job Changes by Industry

The preliminary ‘not seasonally adjusted’ jobs numbers for November show a decrease of 2,300 jobs when compared to the revised October numbers. The October estimates did not change between preliminary and final estimation process. As detailed in the preliminary ‘not seasonally adjusted’ November data, the overall over the month change was concentrated in Total Private (down 2,300 jobs) as Government reported no over the month change. Leisure and Hospitality (-2,150 jobs) and Construction (-850 jobs) were the two private sectors with the largest decreases. The two largest gaining private sectors were Trade, Transportation and Utilities (400 jobs) and Education and Health Services (250 jobs). Local Government Education also showed a relatively large gain of 350 jobs from the prior month levels.

The seasonally adjusted data for November reports a decrease of 600 jobs from the revised October data. This reported over the month change does not include the 400 job increase between the preliminary and the revised October estimates due to the inclusion of more data. A review of the seasonally adjusted November numbers reflects that Vermont’s Private Industries reported a decrease of 400 jobs while Total Government reported a decrease of 200 jobs. Construction was the sector of note, reporting a decline of 500 jobs. Professional & Business Services reported an increase of 200 jobs as did Other Services (+200 jobs). All other over the month changes to sector employment were consistent with seasonal trends and did not register greater than plus or minus 100 jobs in the seasonally adjusted series.

Meanwhile, Regional and state unemployment rates across the United States were generally lower in November. Forty-three

states and the District of Columbia recorded unemployment rate decreases, three

states posted rate increases, and four states had no rate change, the U.S. Bureau

of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-five states registered unemployment rate

decreases from a year earlier, while five states and the District of Columbia

experienced increases. The national jobless rate fell by 0.4 percentage point

between October and November to 8.6 percent, down from 9.8 percent in November 2010.

In November, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 29 states and the District of

Columbia, decreased in 19 states, and was unchanged in 2 states. The largest

over-the-month increases in employment occurred in New York (+29,500) and Texas

(+20,800). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in Wisconsin

(-14,600), followed by Minnesota (-13,700) and Colorado (-4,500). South Carolina

experienced the largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment (+0.9

percent), followed by Arkansas and Wyoming (+0.6 percent each). Alaska experienced

the largest over-the-month percentage decline in employment (-0.8 percent), followed

by Delaware (-0.7 percent) and Montana (-0.6 percent). Over the year, nonfarm

employment increased in 45 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in

5 states. The largest over-the-year percentage increase occurred in North Dakota

(+4.5 percent), followed by Wyoming (+3.0 percent) and Oklahoma (+2.8 percent).

The largest over-the-year percentage decreases in employment occurred in Delaware

(-0.8 percent) and Georgia (-0.5 percent).

Regional Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)

The West continued to record the highest regional unemployment rate in November, 9.9

percent, while the Northeast again reported the lowest rate, 7.9 percent. Three regions

experienced statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate changes: the

West (-0.4 percentage point) and the Midwest and South (-0.3 point each). Over the year,

all four regions registered significant rate decreases, the largest of which was in the

West (-1.1 percentage points). (See table 1.)

Among the nine geographic divisions, the Pacific continued to report the highest jobless

rate, 10.6 percent in November. The West North Central again registered the lowest rate,

6.3 percent. Eight divisions experienced statistically significant unemployment rate

changes over the month, all decreases. The largest of these occurred in the East South

Central and South Atlantic (-0.4 percentage point each). Five divisions recorded significant

rate declines from a year earlier, the largest of which were in the Mountain and Pacific

(-1.1 percentage points each). No division reported an unemployment rate increase from

November 2010.

State Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)

Nevada continued to record the highest unemployment rate among the states, 13.0 percent

in November. California posted the next highest rate, 11.3 percent. North Dakota again

registered the lowest jobless rate, 3.4 percent, followed by Nebraska, 4.1 percent, and

South Dakota, 4.3 percent. In total, 25 states reported jobless rates significantly lower

than the U.S. figure of 8.6 percent, 10 states and the District of Columbia had measurably

higher rates, and 15 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the

nation. (See tables A and 3.)

Thirty states and the District of Columbia experienced statistically significant over-the-month

unemployment rate declines in November. The largest of these was in Michigan (-0.8 percentage

point), followed by Alabama, Minnesota, South Carolina, and Utah (-0.6 point each). The

remaining 20 states recorded jobless rates that were not measurably different from those of a

month earlier, though some had changes that were at least as large numerically as the significant

changes. (See table B.)

New Mexico registered the largest jobless rate decrease from November 2010 (-2.1 percentage points).

Thirteen additional states reported smaller but also statistically significant decreases over the year.

The remaining 36 states and the District of Columbia recorded unemployment rates that were not

appreciably different from those of a year earlier. (See table C.)

Nonfarm Payroll Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)

In November, 13 states recorded statistically significant changes in employment, 7 of which were

increases. The largest over-the-month statistically significant job gains occurred in New York

(+29,500), South Carolina (+16,600), Georgia (+13,000), and Tennessee (+9,600). The largest

over-the-month statistically significant declines in employment occurred in Wisconsin (-14,600)

and Minnesota (-13,700). (See tables D and 5.)

Over the year, 25 states experienced statistically significant changes in employment, all of which

were increases. The largest increase occurred in California (+233,100), followed by Texas (+226,000) and Florida (+98,100). (See table E.)

____________

The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for November 2011 is scheduled to be

released on Wednesday, January 4, 2012, at 10:00 a.m. (EST). The Regional and State Employment and

Unemployment news release for December 2011 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, January 24, 2012,

at 10:00 a.m. (EST).

Table A. States with unemployment rates significantly differ-

ent from that of the U.S., November 2011, seasonally adjusted

--------------------------------------------------------------

State | Rate(p)

--------------------------------------------------------------

United States (1) ...................| 8.6

|

Alaska ..............................| 7.3

California ..........................| 11.3

Delaware ............................| 7.6

District of Columbia ................| 10.6

Florida .............................| 10.0

Georgia .............................| 9.9

Hawaii ..............................| 6.5

Illinois ............................| 10.0

Iowa ................................| 5.7

Kansas ..............................| 6.5

|

Louisiana ...........................| 6.9

Maine ...............................| 7.0

Maryland ............................| 6.9

Massachusetts .......................| 7.0

Michigan ............................| 9.8

Minnesota ...........................| 5.9

Mississippi .........................| 10.5

Montana .............................| 7.1

Nebraska ............................| 4.1

Nevada ..............................| 13.0

|

New Hampshire .......................| 5.2

New Mexico ..........................| 6.5

New York ............................| 8.0

North Carolina ......................| 10.0

North Dakota ........................| 3.4

Oklahoma ............................| 6.1

Pennsylvania ........................| 7.9

Rhode Island ........................| 10.5

South Carolina ......................| 9.9

South Dakota ........................| 4.3

|

Texas ...............................| 8.1

Utah ................................| 6.4

Vermont .............................| 5.3

Virginia ............................| 6.2

Wisconsin ...........................| 7.3

Wyoming .............................| 5.8

--------------------------------------------------------------

1 Data are not preliminary.

p = preliminary.



Table B. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes

from October 2011 to November 2011, seasonally adjusted

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

| Rate |

|-----------|-----------| Over-the-month

State | October | November | rate change(p)

| 2011 | 2011(p) |

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alabama ........................| 9.3 | 8.7 | -0.6

Arkansas .......................| 8.2 | 8.0 | -.2

California .....................| 11.7 | 11.3 | -.4

Connecticut ....................| 8.7 | 8.4 | -.3

Delaware .......................| 7.9 | 7.6 | -.3

District of Columbia ...........| 11.0 | 10.6 | -.4

Florida ........................| 10.4 | 10.0 | -.4

Georgia ........................| 10.2 | 9.9 | -.3

Idaho ..........................| 8.8 | 8.5 | -.3

Iowa ...........................| 6.0 | 5.7 | -.3

| | |

Kansas .........................| 6.7 | 6.5 | -.2

Maine ..........................| 7.3 | 7.0 | -.3

Maryland .......................| 7.2 | 6.9 | -.3

Massachusetts ..................| 7.3 | 7.0 | -.3

Michigan .......................| 10.6 | 9.8 | -.8

Minnesota ......................| 6.5 | 5.9 | -.6

Missouri .......................| 8.5 | 8.2 | -.3

Montana ........................| 7.6 | 7.1 | -.5

North Carolina .................| 10.4 | 10.0 | -.4

Ohio ...........................| 9.0 | 8.5 | -.5

| | |

Oregon .........................| 9.5 | 9.1 | -.4

Pennsylvania ...................| 8.1 | 7.9 | -.2

South Carolina .................| 10.5 | 9.9 | -.6

South Dakota ...................| 4.5 | 4.3 | -.2

Tennessee ......................| 9.5 | 9.1 | -.4

Texas ..........................| 8.4 | 8.1 | -.3

Utah ...........................| 7.0 | 6.4 | -.6

Vermont ........................| 5.6 | 5.3 | -.3

Virginia .......................| 6.4 | 6.2 | -.2

Washington .....................| 9.1 | 8.7 | -.4

Wisconsin ......................| 7.7 | 7.3 | -.4

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

p = preliminary.

Table C. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes

from November 2010 to November 2011, seasonally adjusted

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

| Rate |

|-----------|-----------| Over-the-year

State | November | November | rate change(p)

| 2010 | 2011(p) |

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

California .....................| 12.5 | 11.3 | -1.2

Colorado .......................| 8.9 | 8.0 | -.9

Delaware .......................| 8.4 | 7.6 | -.8

Florida ........................| 11.9 | 10.0 | -1.9

Idaho ..........................| 9.6 | 8.5 | -1.1

Massachusetts ..................| 8.3 | 7.0 | -1.3

Michigan .......................| 11.4 | 9.8 | -1.6

Minnesota ......................| 7.0 | 5.9 | -1.1

Missouri .......................| 9.6 | 8.2 | -1.4

New Mexico .....................| 8.6 | 6.5 | -2.1

| | |

Ohio ...........................| 9.6 | 8.5 | -1.1

Oregon .........................| 10.6 | 9.1 | -1.5

Utah ...........................| 7.5 | 6.4 | -1.1

West Virginia ..................| 9.6 | 7.9 | -1.7

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

p = preliminary.

Table D. States with statistically significant employment changes from

October 2011 to November 2011, seasonally adjusted

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

| October | November | Over-the-month

State | 2011 | 2011(p) | change(p)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alaska........................| 331,200 | 328,600 | -2,600

Arkansas......................| 1,170,600 | 1,177,700 | 7,100

Delaware......................| 412,700 | 410,000 | -2,700

Georgia.......................| 3,797,600 | 3,810,600 | 13,000

Minnesota.....................| 2,673,100 | 2,659,400 | -13,700

Montana.......................| 434,800 | 432,200 | -2,600

Nebraska......................| 962,500 | 958,500 | -4,000

New Hampshire.................| 631,900 | 635,100 | 3,200

New York......................| 8,634,400 | 8,663,900 | 29,500

South Carolina................| 1,822,800 | 1,839,400 | 16,600

| | |

Tennessee.....................| 2,646,500 | 2,656,100 | 9,600

Washington....................| 2,827,300 | 2,836,400 | 9,100

Wisconsin.....................| 2,754,800 | 2,740,200 | -14,600

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

p = preliminary.



Table E. States with statistically significant employment changes from

November 2010 to November 2011, seasonally adjusted

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

| November | November | Over-the-year

State | 2010 | 2011(p) | change(p)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Arizona.......................| 2,374,400 | 2,419,800 | 45,400

California....................| 13,937,000 | 14,170,100 | 233,100

Colorado......................| 2,222,100 | 2,247,600 | 25,500

Florida.......................| 7,183,600 | 7,281,700 | 98,100

Illinois......................| 5,629,000 | 5,686,100 | 57,100

Kentucky......................| 1,781,500 | 1,802,100 | 20,600

Louisiana.....................| 1,890,100 | 1,936,800 | 46,700

Massachusetts.................| 3,189,800 | 3,245,400 | 55,600

Michigan......................| 3,870,800 | 3,930,200 | 59,400

Nebraska......................| 943,800 | 958,500 | 14,700

| | |

New Hampshire.................| 625,800 | 635,100 | 9,300

New Jersey....................| 3,851,900 | 3,881,000 | 29,100

New York......................| 8,580,300 | 8,663,900 | 83,600

North Dakota..................| 381,900 | 399,200 | 17,300

Ohio..........................| 5,037,900 | 5,113,500 | 75,600

Oklahoma......................| 1,526,600 | 1,569,600 | 43,000

Oregon........................| 1,604,500 | 1,623,400 | 18,900

Pennsylvania..................| 5,644,800 | 5,695,800 | 51,000

South Carolina................| 1,806,700 | 1,839,400 | 32,700

Tennessee.....................| 2,623,700 | 2,656,100 | 32,400

| | |

Texas.........................| 10,403,300 | 10,629,300 | 226,000

Utah..........................| 1,184,500 | 1,214,700 | 30,200

Vermont.......................| 298,500 | 303,300 | 4,800

Washington....................| 2,776,700 | 2,836,400 | 59,700

Wyoming.......................| 282,900 | 291,300 | 8,400

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

p = preliminary.

US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Vermont Department of Labor, 12.20.2011