March Unemployed Figures Released
 
RALEIGH — The state’s seasonally adjusted April unemployment rate decreased to 8.9 percent from March’s revised rate of 9.2 percent. The national rate fell to 7.5 percent from March’s 7.6 percent.

North Carolina’s April 2013 unemployment rate was 0.5 of a percentage point lower than a year ago.  The number of people employed decreased 4,188 over the month to 4,303,113, and increased 35,026 over the year. The number of people unemployed fell 15,259 over the month to 419,287, and declined 21,843 over the year. 
  
Seasonally adjusted Total Nonfarm industry employment, as gathered through the monthly establishment survey, increased 6,100 to 4,054,600 in April. The major industry with the largest over-the-month increase was Leisure & Hospitality Services at 6,100, followed by Financial Activities, 2,000; Government, 1,300; Professional & Busi- ness Services, 1,300; Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 900; and Construction, 500.  Major industries to experience decreases were Education & Health Services, 2,100; Other Services, 2,000; and Manufacturing, 1,900.  Information and Mining & Logging employment remained flat over the month.
 
Since April 2012, Total Nonfarm jobs gained 73,300 with the Total Private sector growing by 68,600, and Govern- ment, 4,700. The largest over-the-year increase of major industries was in Leisure & Hospitality Services, 23,700, followed by Professional & Business Services, 15,900; Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 14,600; Education & Health Services, 9,900; Government, 4,700; Financial Activities, 4,400; Information, 2,400; and Manufacturing, 1,900.  Major industries to experience decreases over the year were Construction, 4,000; and Mining & Logging, 200.  Other Services employment remained flat over the year.
 
The next unemployment update is scheduled for Wednesday, May 29, 2013 when the county unemployment rates for April 2013 will be released.