Unemployment Rate Falls, But Workers Do Too

After falling months behind in reporting unemployment information due to the federal government shutdown last fall, WorkForce West Virginia released the March numbers Wednesday.  

Overall, unemployment fell from 4.7% in February to 4.5% for March. Nationally, unemployment fell by a tenth to 4.3%. Unemployment is calculated based on the number of people who are actively seeking work. Those who have given up looking for jobs are not counted.  

The total number of employed state residents decreased by 1,500 over the month — declining to 744,000 — while the number of unemployed state residents decreased by 1,300 to 35,200. 

Overall, there are 6,700 fewer people employed in the state than a year ago.  

The West Virginia Chamber of Commerce released a statement Wednesday noting that three key sectors in West Virginia have lost jobs.  

• Mining, which declined by 400 jobs, from 20,500 to 20,100 

• Manufacturing, down 300 jobs, from 45,400 to 45,100 

• Leisure and hospitality, which saw one of the steepest declines, falling by 1,600 jobs, from 72,000 to 70,400 

While the state posted encouraging gains in sectors such as health care (+1,800 jobs) and construction (+1,700 jobs), state officials say those increases were insufficient to offset broader workforce declines. The chamber noted that these mixed results highlight the need for long-term, pro-growth policies that strengthen key industries, attract investment and create opportunities across all sectors of West Virginia’s economy. 

“With each new jobs report, we are seeing a clearer picture of where West Virginia stands and where we risk falling behind,” Steve Roberts, president of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, said. “Economic growth doesn’t happen by accident. It is the result of policy decisions that either encourage investment and job creation or make it more difficult for businesses to grow and hire.” 

The state’s labor force participation rate also declined in March. West Virginia ranks 51^st in the nation. Fewer than 50% of women participate in the workforce.