N.C. unemployment rate flat at 5.7 percent in November

North Carolina’s unemployment rate was flat in November from October as employers kept adding jobs, a sign more people are joining the labor force as they feel better about the state economy.

The statewide jobless rate was 5.7 percent last month, unchanged from the previous month, the N.C. Commerce Department reported Friday. A year ago, North Carolina’s unemployment rate was 5.5 percent. Nationally, it’s 5 percent.

The state added 11,400 jobs in November, led by the largest increase in education and health services, which took on 4,700 new positions, followed by the trade, transportation and utilities sector, which added 4,200.

Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond senior economist Rick Kaglic, who is based in Charlotte, said Friday’s report reflects a “nicely expanding economy.” He said the state’s somewhat elevated unemployment rate indicates that people are rejoining the labor force (they’re only counted as unemployed if they are jobless and actively looking for work.)

“Considering that this elevated unemployment rate has persisted for some time, it seems to show that there are just more people out there looking for jobs,” said Kaglic, who cautions against reading too far into one month of data but rather looking long term.

Over the year, private non-farm employment has grown by 91,200, or at about a 2.2 percent pace. That’s above the national pace of job growth, which is 1.9 percent.

In November, construction was the sector with the biggest job losses — employment fell by 4,200. Kaglic noted that last month was North Carolina’s third wettest November on record, so that could have weighed on construction.

This story was originally published December 18, 2015 at 6:29 PM with the headline "N.C. unemployment rate flat at 5.7 percent in November."