Unemployment Ticks Up For February

Two weeks ago, Workforce West Virginia released January unemployment information in an effort to catch up from reporting delays caused by the fall government shutdown.  

For the just-released month of February, unemployment rose a tenth to 4.7%. These are seasonally adjusted numbers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics the size of the labor force, the levels of employment and unemployment, and other measures of labor market activity can vary throughout the year due to seasonal events including changes in weather, harvests, major holidays, and school schedules. The influence of these events on statistical trends can be eliminated by seasonally adjusting the statistics from month to month because they follow a pattern each year. 

Employment is defined as people who are working or actively seeking work. Once a person is no longer collecting unemployment benefits, they drop off the count completely.  

The total number of employed state residents decreased by 900 over the month – declining to 745,500 – while the number of unemployed state residents increased by 300 to 36,600. 

The state is three tenths higher than the national rate of 4.4% for February. Just like the January numbers, the largest single sector loss came in federal government jobs spurred by Department of Government Efficiency cuts and early retirement incentives.  

Over the year, total nonfarm payroll employment decreased by 2,700 jobs. The largest over the year loss came in total government (-3,800) with the lions’ share in federal government employment. Declines were also seen in trade, transportation, and utilities (-1,500), leisure and hospitality (-1,300) manufacturing (-700), other services (-600), mining and logging (-400). and in information (-200).  

The bulk of job gains came in construction and in private education and health services; the two industries added 2,600 jobs and 2,500 jobs, respectively since February 2025. Financial activities (+400) and professional and business services (+300), each saw gains as well. 

The state’s labor force participation rate is unchanged at 54.5% for February but remains one of the lowest in the country.