RALEIGH — The state’s seasonally adjusted March unemployment rate was 5.4 percent, increasing 0.1 of a percentage point from February’s revised rate. The national rate remained unchanged at 5.5 percent.
North Carolina’s March 2015 unemployment rate was 1.0 percentage point lower than a year ago. The number of people employed increased 26,012 over the month to 4,455,283, and increased 118,628 over the year. The number of people unemployed increased 5,926 over the month to 253,510, and declined 44,460 over the year.
Seasonally adjusted Total Nonfarm industry employment, as gathered through the monthly establishment survey, decreased 2,600 to 4,219,600 in March. The major industry with the largest over-the-month increase was Profes- sional & Business Services at 2,700, followed by Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 2,100; and Manufacturing, 1,000. Major industries experiencing decreases were Construction, 2,400; Financial Activities, 1,800; Education & Health Services, 1,100; Government, 1,100; Other Services, 900; Leisure & Hospitality Services, 700; and Information, 400. Mining & Logging employment remained unchanged.
Since March 2014, Total Nonfarm jobs gained 113,700 with the Total Private sector growing by 117,300 and Government decreasing by 3,600. The largest over-the-year increase of major industries was Professional & Busi- ness Services at 32,900, followed by Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 18,700; Leisure & Hospitality Services, 17,900; Education & Health Services, 13,300; Manufacturing, 13,000; Construction, 12,100; Other Services, 4,100; Financial Activities, 3,100; and Information, 2,300. Major industries experiencing decreases over the year were Government, 3,600; and Mining & Logging, 100.
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