Jobless rate ticks up in July
Seven- county region doing worse than Pa.
The unemployment rate in the seven- county Pittsburgh MSA area in July ticked up 1.5 percentage points from the previous month to hit 14.3%, outpacing the rise in the Pennsylvania jobless rate, the state Department of Labor and Industry reported Tuesday.
The statewide unemployment rate was 13.7% in July, up 0.5 percentage points from June, while the national rate fell 0.9 points to 10.2%. The COVID- 19 pandemic
has closed businesses around the country and sent unemployment rates soaring since the spring.
A bright spot in the July report on the Pittsburgh area: The total number of seasonally adjusted jobs in the region rose 1.5% in July when compared to June, up 15,600 to 1 million.
But the number of seasonally adjusted, total nonfarm jobs in the Pittsburgh MSA fell by 9% — or 107,000 jobs — when compared to a year ago, while the number of statewide jobs declined 8.9% during the same period, according to the report.
Seasonally adjusted data, which accounts for such things as weather events, major holidays and school schedules, provide the most valuable month - to- month comparison.
The education and health services category had the biggest increase in jobs from June, up 5,400, due to an increase in health care and social assistance positions.
The government sector had the largest decline in jobs between June and July, down 2,900, as local public schools continued releasing staff for summer break.
In addition to Allegheny County, the seven- county Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area is made up of Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties.
The city of Pittsburgh is within Allegheny County.