PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — State labor officials say Rhode Island lost 600 jobs from April to May but the state unemployment rate dipped.
The state Department of Labor and Training says the number of Rhode Island-based jobs in May was 498,700, down 600 jobs from the revised April job count. That’s still up 2,100 jobs from May 2018.
May marks the first monthly job loss reported in Rhode Island since January. The department says it was driven by large job losses reported among higher education institutions.
The state unemployment rate in May dropped to 3.6%, down one-tenth of a percentage point from April. It is four-tenths of a percentage point lower May 2018.
The state rate is the same as the national rate.
The number of unemployed Rhode Islanders fell by 300 to 20,100.
(Copyright (c) 2024 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)