Donley County’s unemployment rate remained at a four-year low in December, dropping back to October’s 3.5 percent after ticking up to 3.7 percent in November.
The seasonally non-adjusted data from the Texas Workforce Commission shows 1,809 employed locally out of a potential work force of 1,875.
That’s down from unemployment rates of 4.7 percent in August and 3.9 percent in September. The rate for December 2004 was 4.8 percent when 1,795 people were employed out of a work force of 1,885.
The statewide December unemployment rate of 5.1 percent represented a two-tenths of a percentage point decrease from the November rate of 5.3 percent. Seasonally Adjusted Nonagricultural Employment in Texas rose by 13,400 jobs in December, which marked sixteen straight months of over-the-month employment increases. Annual growth for Total Nonagricultural Employment ended December at 153,500 jobs, for an annual growth rate of 1.6 percent.
“The brightest news for the year is significant job growth across every industry sector,” said Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Chair Diane Rath. “When employers add jobs as they did throughout 2005, more opportunities are available for Texans in the workforce.”
The annual growth rate in Construction rose to 3.2 percent in December and has remained in positive territory since March 2005.
“As the economy expands, Texas employers continue to add jobs to meet the demands of the marketplace,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Ron Lehman. “A 1.6 percent annual job growth rate spread across all industries is an encouraging economic indicator.”
“The lower unemployment rate is directly tied to the availability of jobs,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Ronny Congleton. “The Texas labor force is 11.3 million strong, and with job growth, opportunities are available for all.”
Initial claims for unemployment compensation in December were 63,436, down 30.6 percent from December 2004 and down 19.2 percent from December 2003.
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