ADOL reports slight increase in labor force participation rate for March

The Alabama Department of Labor (ADOL) has reported a slight increase in the labor force participation rate for the month of March. 

An announcement from ADOL stated that the rate increased to 57.8% from 57.7% recorded last month. The percentage of prime-age workers (25-54 years) "held steady" at 78.8%. 

“We continue to show improvement in our labor force participation numbers,” said ADOL Secretary Greg Reed. “We are working continuously to bring in new segments of the population and incorporate them into our workforce. We’re adding more jobs, more people, and more opportunity.”

The preliminary, seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March was 3.3%, which is unchanged from the rate in February. It represents 78,762 unemployed persons, compared to 77,807 last month. 

The number of people that were counted as employed increased by 27,680 over the year to 2,294,254, reportedly a new record high. The civilian labor force similarly increased to 2,373,016, also considered a new record high, as 39,314 more people joined over the year.

Wage and salary employment increased over the year by 20,900 to 2,201,600, with gains seen in the private education and health services sector at more than 8,200, the government sector at more than 5,900, and the construction sector at more than 4,000.

The counties with the highest unemployment rates were Greene County at 7.7%, Perry County at 7.3%, and Wilcox County at 6.1%. Selma remains among the highest with 5.6%. 

“It’s great to see this sustained growth in sectors that had been previously impacted so badly from the pandemic years, such as the leisure and hospitality sector,” said Reed.