CRANSTON, R.I. (AP) - Rhode Island’s unemployment rate ticked up to 7.3% and the state lost 500 jobs in November, state labor officials announced Thursday.
Last month’s rate was up by two-tenths of a percent from October’s revised 7.1% jobless rate, and remains much higher than the state’s 3.5% rate in November 2019.
The number of unemployed Rhode Island residents classified as available for and seeking work was 39,200, an increase of 600 from October, according to the data released by the state Department of Labor and Training.
Job losses were greatest in two sectors: arts, entertainment and recreation, as well as in educational services. Both sectors reported losing about 700 jobs each. Modest gains were reported in the health care and social assistance sectors as well as in retail trade.
Through November, Rhode Island has now recovered about 58% of the more than 98,000 lost in March and April when the economy slowed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The national unemployment rate for November was 6.7%.
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