WASHINGTON: Erie County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady in December at 6.6 percent, but continues to rank among the worst performers in Pennsylvania. That’s according to a report released Tuesday by the state Department of Labor & Industry. Among the state’s metropolitan areas, Erie and Johnstown were tied for the highest unemployment rate. Compared to all 67 counties in Pennsylvania, Erie’s unemployment rate was 49th best. Meanwhile, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in neighboring Crawford County climbed from 5.6 to 6 percent.
Erie County’s unemployment rate compares unfavorably to both the Pennsylvania unemployment rate of 5.6 percent and the U.S. rate of 4.7 percent. While Erie County’s rate was unchanged from November, the number of people counted as unemployed grew by 200 to 8,200. That change was accompanied by substantial drops in both the civilian labor force – the number of people who are either working or want to work – and the number of people who are employed, which fell by more than 2,000 to 124,800. The good news is that Erie County’s unemployment rate is down from a high of 7.1 percent reached in October. But it’s also far higher than December 2015, when unemployment in Erie County was 4.9 percent. Sandy Hoffman, an analyst with the state Department of Labor & Industry, said Erie County was one of 16 Pennsylvania counties where the unemployment rate was unchanged from the previous month. The unemployment rate rose in 39 counties and fell in 12, she said. Among the biggest changes during December, employment in the education and health services declined by 600 jobs at a time when many college faculty members are listed, at least briefly, as unemployed. Manufacturing rebounded slightly during the month, adding 200 jobs for a total of 20,500. Government employment grew by 400 during the month to 16,400.
