Payroll
Employment,
Unemployment, and
Hours and Earnings in West Virginia
September 2009
Employment: Total nonfarm payroll
employment rose 1,800 over the month of September 2009 to a level of
740,800. The goods-producing sector declined 800, with losses of 400 in
manufacturing, 300 in construction, and 100 in mining and logging. The
service-providing sector added 2,600 jobs, fueled largely by seasonal
gains of 2,900 in government and 1,900 in educational and health
services. Other employment gains included 400 in professional and
business services, 100 in other services, and 100 in financial
activities. Employment declines included 1,900 in trade,
transportation, and utilities, 800 in leisure and hospitality, and 100
in information.
Since September 2008, the number of payroll jobs in
West Virginia has fallen 27,400. The goods-producing sector plunged
15,900, with losses of 6,400 in manufacturing, 5,100 in construction,
and 4,400 in mining and logging. The service-providing sector declined
11,500, with losses of 7,900 in trade, transportation, and utilities,
1,900 in leisure and hospitality, 1,200 in financial activities, 800 in
government, 700 in information, 300 in other services, and 200 in
professional and business services. Educational and health services
added 1,500 jobs over the year.
Unemployment: The number of
unemployed state residents declined 3,500 to 64,200 in September 2009.
The corresponding unemployment rate fell four-tenths of a percentage
point to 8.1 percent of the civilian labor force. Total unemployment
has risen 35,200 from September 2008, when the rate was 3.6 percent and
29,000 were jobless. The state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate
remained at 8.9 percent in September, while the national rate inched
upward one-tenth of a percentage point to 9.8 percent.
Hours and Earnings: Earnings
for private sector production and nonsupervisory workers averaged
$15.87 in September, up eight cents from the previous month. Hourly
earnings were up 32 cents over the year. Average weekly earnings rose
$1.19 in September to $549.10, and were up $9.51 from the previous
September. Average weekly hours were down slightly over the month as
well as over the year.