Payroll
Employment,
Unemployment, and
Hours and Earnings in West Virginia
January 2010
Payroll Employment: Total
nonfarm payroll employment plunged 22,300 in January 2010 to a level of
717,400. The goods-producing sector fell 5,800, fueled by a seasonal
loss of 4,500 in construction. Other declines included 700 in
manufacturing and 600 in mining and logging. The service-providing
sector declined 16,500, led by seasonal losses of 5,300 in trade,
transportation, and utilities and 4,700 in government. Other declines
included 2,800 in leisure and hospitality, 1,500 in educational and
health services, 1,400 in professional and business services, 700 in
financial activities, and 100 in information. Employment in other
services was unchanged over the month.
Since January 2009, the number of payroll jobs in West Virginia has
fallen 23,000. The goods-producing sector declined 13,900, with losses
of 5,200 in mining and logging, 4,900 in manufacturing, and 3,800 in
construction. The service-providing sector fell 9,100, with losses of
4,600 in trade, transportation, and utilities, 3,100 in leisure and
hospitality, 2,600 in professional and business services, 1,600 in
financial activities, 800 in information, and 800 in other services.
Employment gains included 3,300 in educational and heath services and
1,100 in government.
Unemployment: The number of
unemployed state residents rose 15,300 to 82,400 in January 2010. The
corresponding unemployment rate climbed nearly two percentage points to
10.5 percent of the civilian labor force. Total unemployment has grown
by 29,600 since January 2009, when the rate was 6.7 percent and 52,800
were jobless. The state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate climbed
three-tenths of a percentage point to 9.3 percent, while the national
rate declined three-tenths of a percentage point to 9.7 percent.
Hours and Earnings: Earnings
for private sector production and nonsupervisory workers averaged
$15.94 in January, unchanged from the previous month. Hourly earnings
were up 38 cents over the year. Average weekly earnings declined $7.97
in January to $543.55, but were up $9.84 from the previous January.
Average weekly hours were down over the month as well as over the year.