MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - Vermont’s unemployment rate rose slightly in December 2020 to 3.1%, but the low level of unemployment does not fully capture the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, state Labor Commissioner Michael Harrington said Tuesday.
As a result of the pandemic, nearly 20,000 Vermonters have left the labor force over the last year, either temporarily or permanently, Harrington said in a written statement.
It’s expected that many, if not all, of those people will return to work as the spread of the virus decreases and rate of vaccinations increase, he said.
“Between now and then, this is a great time for future job seekers to leverage online training to augment their professional or technical skills,” he said. “Working with the Department’s Workforce Development Division is a great way to learn about training, as well as employment opportunities being recruited for right now.”
Around the state, the unemployment rate ranged from 1.9% in White River Junction to 4% in Woodstock and Derby. The state’s December rate was up one tenth of a percentage point from the previous month.
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