Region saw small increase in joblessness for Dec.

After months of decline, the unemployment rate in the Pittsburgh region rose slightly in December, likely reflecting the impact of higher rates of COVID-19 infections and stricter health and safety guidelines.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the seven-county metropolitan statistical area rose one-tenth of a percentage point to 6.8% in December, according to data released Tuesday from the state’s Department of Labor and Industry.

Before that, the last time the Pittsburgh MSA’s unemployment rate had an over-the-month gain was April 2020, according to Lauren Riegel, an industry and business analyst with L&I. Last April, the rate rose 11.1 percentage points to a peak of 13.9%.

Still, Ms. Riegel said the December increase could “very likely be a one-month blip while temporary additional business restrictions were in place.”

In December, Gov. Tom Wolf put in place more health and safety guidelines for three weeks in a sweeping attempt to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the state. Bars, restaurants, casinos, movie theaters, gyms, museums and other businesses closed down again for the three weeks ending Jan. 4.

Statewide, Ms. Riegel has also seen an uptick in “discouraged workers,” or people who had been looking for work but stopped because they became discouraged about finding suitable employment.

Compared to 2019, jobs in the Pittsburgh region were down 7.1% and jobs in Pennsylvania were down 7.8%.

In Pittsburgh, seasonally adjusted non-farm jobs dropped 0.1% in December, a loss of 1,600 positions.

That month the majority of the losses came from the leisure and hospitality industries, which shed 7,600 positions, and were offset mostly by holiday shopping and shipping that led to gains in other sectors. The trade, transportation and utilities industries added 6,300 jobs that month.

Statewide, the unemployment rate in December fell one-tenth of a percentage point to 6.7% while the national rate remained unchanged at the same percentage.

In the seven-county Pittsburgh MSA, unemployment ranged from 8.6% in Fayette County to 5.9% in Butler.