Pennsylvania unemployment hits lowest rate in over 20 years

PENNSYLVANIA — The Pennsylvania unemployment rate is the lowest it’s been in over 20 years.

According to a release from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, the unemployment rate hit 4.2% in the month of August.

That’s the lowest the rate has been since June 2000.

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“With Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate dipping to 4.2 percent – its lowest point since June 2000 – this moment is an opportunity to reflect on the value of labor and celebrate the fact that Pennsylvania workers have access to a competitive job market right now. We must also remember that records are meant to be broken and trends change over time,” L&I Secretary Jennifer Berrier said. “As we tackle economic challenges of today and tomorrow, we must remain committed to the protection of that most valuable economic asset – people.”

According to the release, an estimated additional 2,000 people were either working or looking for work over the course of the month, with employment rising by 4,000 and unemployment dropped 2,000.

From April 2020 through August 2022, Pennsylvania has recovered approximately 90% of jobs lost in the first two months of the pandemic period, the release said.

For more information, visit the L&I website at www.dli.pa.gov.

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