January unemployment remains steady; jobs return to leisure, hospitality
Maine’s unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.1% in January compared to December 2021, and jobs began to return in leisure and hospitality — sectors that had sharp losses at the beginning of the pandemic.
In January, the 59.3% labor force participation rate and the 56.8% employment-to-population ratio were also little changed, according to data released Monday by the Maine Department of Labor.
Total nonfarm wage and salary jobs increased 3,500 in January to 631,800. The largest job gains were in healthcare and social assistance, leisure and hospitality, and construction. Jobs increased by an average of 4,600 in the three months from November to January over the prior three-month period through October.
The Labor Department said the three-month averages generally provide a better indication of workforce conditions as they smooth some of the variability in sample-based estimates, and they reflect revisions to estimates for previous months.
U.S. and New England unemployment rates for January were 4.0% and 4.6%, respectively.
Unemployment rates were at least 0.3% higher than the statewide, not-seasonally-adjusted average of 4.3% in eight counties, at least 0.3% lower in two counties, and close to the average in six counties. The highest unemployment rate in January was in Washington County at 6.7% and the lowest was in Sagadahoc County at 3.2%.
In the metro area of Portland-South Portland, unemployment was 3.6%, while it was 4.1% in Bangor and 4.2% in Lewiston-Auburn.
Private sector hours averaged 34.0 and hourly earnings averaged $28.81 in January, 8% increase in the 12-month period.
The average work week was longest in manufacturing and shortest in leisure and hospitality. Hourly earnings were highest in professional and business services at $34.28 an hour, and lowest in leisure and hospitality at $20.43. The biggest percentage jump was in trade, transportation and utilities with an 11.7% percent increase to $23.82 an hour.
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