While Oklahoma’s energy industry is adding to a growing economy in the state, the state’s April unemployment remained at 3.3 percent. Numbers in oil and gas were down and the seasonally adjusted rate was down 0.3 percent point compared to April of 2018.
The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission says the 3.3 percent jobless rate compares to the U.S. rate which dropped to 3.6 percent for April.
Oklahoma’s jobless rate has remained at 3.3 percent for the past three months while the January rate was 3.2 percent. It had been 3.1 percent in November and December 2018.
Employment for April in Oklahoma fell by 1,865 persons or 0.1 percent. Unemployment declined by 445 persons or 0.7 percent. Over the year, the seasonally adjusted unemployment fell by 6,880 workers or 10.3 percent for April 2019.
In April, five of Oklahoma’s supersectors added jobs as Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+1,900 jobs) posted the largest monthly gain followed by Education and Health Services (+1,200 jobs).
Mining and Logging, Manufacturing and Information (-300 jobs each) reported over-the-month job losses. This sector includes oil and gas employment.
The sector saw an increase of 1,600 jobs or 0.6 percent since April 2018. In April of this year, total employment in the sector was 53,900, down from the 54,200 reported in March but still more than the 52,300 reported in April 2018.t
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+5,300 jobs) claimed the largest job gain over the year, followed by
Construction (+4,700 jobs).
Sectors showing declines in jobs over the year were Manufacturing (-1,100 jobs), Information (-1,000
jobs), and Government (-400 jobs).