SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama’s payroll job count has reached historic levels, but the state’s latest workforce figures also reveal higher unemployment and fewer people participating in the labor force.
Secretary of Workforce Greg Reed recently said more Alabamians are working than ever before. Employer payroll data support strong job growth: wage and salary employment reached a record 2,224,200 in June, up 21,100 jobs from a year earlier.
July payroll employment stood at 2,209,500—20,400 higher than a year earlier. Leisure and hospitality added 10,600 jobs, while private education and health services gained 6,400. That sector reached a record 269,000 positions as nursing and other medical occupations remained in high demand.
Construction workers earned a record average of $1,432.21 per week in July. Manufacturing wages tied their previous record at $1,389.75.
The broader picture, however, is mixed. Alabama’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 3.4% in July from 3.2% in June and 2.8% one year earlier. Approximately 79,345 people were unemployed.
The household survey also counted 2,286,389 employed Alabamians—22,283 fewer than a year earlier—while the civilian labor force declined by 9,921. The labor-force participation rate stood at 56.9%.
Payroll and household surveys measure different things. Payroll data count jobs reported by employers, while the household survey estimates employed individuals and people seeking work. A person holding multiple jobs can appear more than once in payroll figures.
Alabama’s record payroll growth is encouraging, particularly in health care, hospitality, construction and manufacturing. Still, unemployment, participation and wage access remain important measures when determining whether economic gains are reaching families throughout the state.