Nov 21, 2020 1 min read

And now, a post-Halloween treat: Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate declined to 7.3% in October.

That figure was down a full percentage point from 8.3% in September, the state Department of Labor & Industry said on Friday in its monthly employment situation report. The commonwealth’s rate has fallen each of the past three months.

Last month’s seasonally adjusted rate was 2.7 points above the October 2019 figure of 4.6% – months before the coronavirus pandemic began to play havoc with lives, jobs and the economy.

The U.S. rate for October likewise dipped one percentage point from September to 6.9%.

Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force decreased by 75,000 from September because of declines in employment and unemployment (the number of jobless residents who are seeking work).

Non-farm jobs in the Keystone State increased by 18,000 last month to 5,622,100, as eight of 11 industry supersectors posted increases. The largest volume gain was 73,000 jobs in trade, transportation and utilities.

Year over year, non-farm jobs decreased by 455,900, a 7.5% decline. The largest drop-off was in leisure & hospitality (142,200).

Pennsylvania, according to L&I, has recovered 56.3% of the total nonfarm jobs lost in March and April.