Joint Economic Committee

Robert F. Bennett, Vice Chairman

National Employment and Unemployment: On August 4th, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the national employment and unemployment for July (available at http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf).

Highlights of the report:

· The national unemployment rate stepped up by 0.2 percentage points to 4.8 percent, with the year-over unemployment rate down 0.2 percentage points

State Employment and Unemployment: Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported regional and state employment and unemployment for July (available at http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/laus.pdf ).

Highlights of the report:

· Non-farm payroll employment increased in 36 states and decreased in 14 states and the District of Columbia.
· Largest over-the-month increases in payroll employment:
· Illinois (+29,800), Florida (+22,600), Arizona (+16,300), and Texas (+15,700).

· Largest over-the-month percent increases in payroll employment:
· Montana (+1.3%), Arizona (+0.6%), Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, New Hampshire, and New Mexico (+0.5%), and Minnesota (+0.4%).

· Largest over-the-year increases in payroll employment:
· Florida (+229,800), Texas (230,300), California (+192,000) and Arizona (+117,800).

· Largest over-the-year percent increases in payroll employment:
· Nevada (+5.3), Idaho, Arizona, and Utah (+4.7%).

· The unemployment rate increased in 41 states and the District of Columbia, decreased in 7 states, and registered no change in 2 states.

· Fifteen states posted statistically significant changes in unemployment rates, with fourteen states registering significant increases (Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin) and one state registering a significant decrease (Louisiana).

Rachel Greszler, Economist, Office of the Vice Chairman, Joint Economic Committee, Rachel_Greszler@jec.senate.gov