While the state’s oil and gas industry held its own in March, the latest employment report from the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission indicates there was still a loss of at least 600 jobs from March 2015 to this year.
Statewide, unemployment rates decreased over the month in 48 of the 77 counties while the rates increased in 14 other counties. McIntosh County had the highest jobless rate at 8.5 percent followed by Stephens County at 8.3 percent and Lattimer County at 8.1 percent. Cimarron County was lowest at 2.4 percent. Alfalfa County’s rate was 28. percent followed by Woods County at 3.0 percent.
While private sectors were hurting, the government sectors were not and actually reflected an increase in employment from March 2015 to March 2016 and also from February 20116 to March.
Year-to-date, government employment in the state increased 2.0 percent or 1,200 workers.
Federal employment in the state remained at 4,600 from February to March while the number of state workers grew by 300, from 9,600 in February to 9,900 in March. A year ago, there were 9,500 state workers. The February to March increase was 3.1 percent while the year-to-year growth was 4.2 percent.
Local governments grew their employment as well, up 0.2 percent or 100 employees from February to March of this year. The increase since March 2015 was 800 workers statewide or 1.8 percent.
