(SitNews) Juneau, Alaska - November employment was down an estimated 0.4 percent, or 1,300 jobs, from November 2017. Off those job losses, 400 were government and 1,000 were in the private sector. Retail had the biggest loss at 700 jobs. Professional and business services and manufacturing each lost 500 jobs over the year. Financial activities lost 300 jobs over the year. Of the 400 government job losses, 300 were local government job losses and 100 were federal job losses. Information services lost 100 jobs.

The national unemployment seasonally adjusted rate remains at 3.7 percent through November 2018. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports Alaska has the highest unemployment rate in the nation at 6.3 percent.

Statewide, Health care added the largest number of jobs over the year at 500, employing 38.100 as of November 2018. The transportation, warehousing and utilities industry added 300 and construction gained 200.

The Alaska state government added 100 jobs during 2018, with 23,900 state jobs as of November 2018. However, federal jobs were down 100 and local government jobs were down 300.

Overall, private sector job numbers were down 0.4 percent and government jobs were down by the same percentage if federal job losses are not considered. The state has 23,900 jobs, the federal government has 14,500 jobs and local government statewide reports 42,800 jobs as of November 2018.

Alaska’s seasonally adjusted November unemployment rate was 6.3 percent, down one-tenth of a percentage point from October, and the comparable national rate was 3.7 percent. 

Not-seasonally adjusted rates rose in nearly every borough and census area, following the normal fall pattern. Rates doubled in Denali and Skagway between October and November, reaching 16.3 and 19.2 percent, respectively, which was a typical increase for the two most tourism dependent areas of the state.

Fishing, although winding down, continued to drive some of the lower November 2018 rates, with the Aleutians East Borough at 5.1 percent and Aleutians West Census Area at 4.5 percent. Sitka (4.0 percent), Juneau (4.6 percent) and Anchorage (5.1 percent) also had lower rates than the state as a whole. 

Ketchikan fell a small percentage reporting 6.7 percent unemployment in November 2018 compared to 7.0 percent in November 2017.

Unemployment rates fell in the North Slope Borough (6.1 percent) and Sitka (4.0 percent). Sitka had the state’s lowest unemployment rate.

On the Web:

Download & View Alaska Department of Labor data tables and charts (PDF)

 

Source of News:

Alaska Department of Labor
www.labor.state.ak.us

U.S. Dept of Labor - Bureau of Labor Statistics Nov. 2018
www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm

 

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Ketchikan, Alaska

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