While the national unemployment rate is 4.4 percent, Virginia’s jobless rate is holding steady at 3.8 percent. The Virginia Employment Commission reported that the seasonally adjusted rate remained unchanged in April, putting Old Dominion in 17th (tied with Minnesota and Montana) for lowest unemployment rate nationwide.
Six industry sectors saw increased employment, while five others saw decreases. Professional and business services gained 4,100 jobs in April, while trade/transportation and leisure/hospitality each lost 3,000 jobs that same month.
The state’s labor force also expanded, however, to 4.3 million. April was the 13th consecutive month for workforce growth.