East Texas Business

From Staff, Wire Reports

Tyler’s employment rate dipped slightly in June and the statewide rate saw an uptick, state officials said on Friday.

The Rose City recorded a 95.2 percent employment rate, down a half a percentage point from May’s 95.7 percent rate.

Total nonagricultural jobs increased in Tyler by 700 last month, according to a Texas Workforce Commission report. Most industries saw gains, while a few held steady.
Only the government category posted a negative record, as 200 positions were lost.
Last June, the Tyler area posted a 95.5 percent employment rate.

The Longview area experienced 95.8 percent employment last month, the TWC report said, up from 96.2 percent in May. One year ago, the area saw 95.6 percent employment.

Total nonagricultural jobs increased by 600, with trade, transportation and utilities alone adding 300 jobs. Government lost 200 jobs.

The Texas employment rate increased to 95.6 percent as the pace of job growth picked up.

Employers added 47,700 jobs in June, after just 8,700 in May, helping push the rate up slightly from 95.5 percent, the workforce commission said.

The national employment rate for June was 94.5 percent.

The Texas figures were mixed, however.

The widely reported rates are adjusted for seasonal trends in hiring and firing, which most economists believe gives a better picture of the job market.

Without the seasonal adjustment, the Texas employment dipped to 95.2 percent from 95.7 percent in May.

Also, initial claims for unemployment benefits rose 8.9 percent in June, to 69,157, according to a Workforce Commission report.

The commission said professional and business services employers added 10,700 jobs in June. Trade, transportation and utilities added 8,400 jobs, and education and health services added 7,000. Construction jobs increased by 2,200, double the preliminary gain from May.

Midland continued to have the highest employment rate in the state, at 96.9 percent. The lowest rate was in the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission area, at 92.8 percent.