WASHINGTON: For Berks County, there was a slight uptick in the unemployment rate for August. However, it set another record for seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs. According to the latest statistics from the state Department of Labor & Industry, the rate for the Reading Metropolitan Statistical Area was 4.6 percent, an increase of one-tenth of a percentage point from July. For the month, the state’s rate was down one-tenth to 4.9 percent, while the U.S. rate was up one-tenth to 4.4 percent. Over the year, Reading MSA – which makes up the entirety of Berks County – matched the state’s rate, both down six-tenths of a point, and the national rate, which was down one-tenth. Among the state’s 18 MSAs, Reading was eighth-lowest. Rates ranged from 3.4 percent in State College to 6.2 percent in Johnstown. Berks County’s rate was tied with Allegheny and Juniata for 18th lowest among the state’s 67 counties. Chester County was tied with Centre for the lowest rate at 3.4 percent. Montgomery was tied with Montour and Union for fifth lowest and 3.8 percent and Schuylkill was 51st at 5.8 percent. The MSA had a record 181,100 seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs, which rose by 500, month-to-month. Over the year jobs are up 2.6 percent, or 4,600. In the state, that number is up 1 percent. Government saw the largest month-to-month increase with 400 new jobs, while education and health services and leisure and hospitality both saw big bumps over the year with 1,000 and 1,700, respectively.
Professional and business services remained at an all-time high 24,600 in August. Along with an additional 100 workers in leisure and hospitality, the private service-providing and total private employment totals were at record highs. Year-over-year, both were up 3.9 and 3 percent, respectively. In Reading, the city’s unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted, was down two-tenths of a point to 7.5 percent. Reading’s civilian labor force dropped by 300 to 34,600, but total employment also dropped by 200 to 32,000. In three of Berks’ most populous municipalities, the rates were also down. Exeter Township saw the biggest drop, four-tenths to 3.3 percent. Both Muhlenberg and Spring townships saw one-tenth drops to 4.7 and 3.9 percent, respectively. Pottstown’s rate remained at 5.7 percent.
