Jobless rate grows as workforce expands

AUSTIN – Donley County’s unemployment rate was up in May and June after falling in April, according to information released by the Texas Workforce Commission.

Even though the jobless rate is higher, the workforce in Donley County has grown from 1,814 in April to 1,909 last month, and the number of people employed has grown from 1,737 to 1,809.

Seasonally non-adjusted data from TWC showed 1,734 employed out of a workforce of 1,816, putting the local unemployment rate at 4.5 percent, which is up from 4.2 percent in April.

The June data shows 1,809 people employed in Donley County with 100 people looking for work, bringing the unemployment rate up to 5.2 percent.

Seasonally adjusted nonagricultural employment in Texas increased by 30,000 jobs in June and 259,900 jobs over the last 12 months. Texas employers have added jobs for 34 of the last 35 months, for a total of 632,400 jobs since July 2003. The June seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 5.1 percent.

“The Texas labor market continues to grow at a steady pace and across many different industries,” said Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Chair Diane Rath. “Currently at 2.7 percent, over-the-year job growth has been above 2.5 percent for the last 11 months.”