Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington announced Friday that Alabama's labor force participation rate rose to 57.2% in December. The proportion of prime-age workers increased by 4 points per 10 in 1 year to 78.5%. Prime-age workers are those between the ages of 25 and 54.
“Our labor force participation rate continues to rise, with the prime-age labor force participation rate increasing by nearly half a percentage point annually, and we continue our efforts to reach more of our underutilized workforce. “We will continue to do so,” he said. Washington. “We know that a state's labor force participation rate is tied to demographics, so we need people to work with us to bring into the workforce people who are traditionally underrepresented by employers. there is.”
Alabama's preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for December was 2.6%, up slightly from 2.4% in November. The December interest rate is equal to the December 2022 interest rate of 2.6%. This rate corresponds to 59,454 unemployed people, with 55,462 unemployed people in November 2022 and 59,986 unemployed people in December 2022.
The number of people counted as employed rose by 40,194 over the year to a record 2,264,098. The civilian workforce also increased to an all-time high of 2,323,552, with an additional 39,662 people added during the year.
Over the year, wage and salary employment increased by 38,100 to a record high of 2,184,500. This includes increases in the private education and health services sector (+10,700), government sector (+6,900), and trade, transport and transportation. Utilities sector (+4,600), etc.
Wage and salary employment increased by 300 people in December. Monthly increases were particularly seen in the trade, transport and public works sector (+3,600 people), the manufacturing sector (+2,800 people) and the financial activities sector (+1,300 people).
“It's always exciting to announce that our weekly pay has reached a new record high,” Washington continued. “Two industries continue to grow: construction and trade, transportation, and utilities. This month hit a record high, and employment levels in trade, transportation, and utilities also hit record highs.”
The average total weekly private wage in December increased by $32.08 from the previous year to a record high of $1,035.00. Average weekly wages in the construction and trade, transportation, and public works sectors hit record highs, with construction wages increasing by $113.92 per week (annual) and trade, transportation, and public works wages increasing by $21.44 per week (annual). ) increased. .
The trade, transport, public works and financial activities sectors recorded record employment numbers in December.
The counties with the lowest unemployment rates are Shelby County at 1.9 percent, Morgan, Marshall and Cullman counties at 2.1 percent, and Madison, Limestone, Elmore, Chilton and Autauga counties at 2.2 percent. The counties with the highest unemployment rates are Wilcox County at 9.3 percent, Greene County at 6.3 percent and Dallas County at 5.8 percent.
The major cities with the lowest unemployment rates are Vestavia Hills at 1.7 percent, Alabaster, Homewood and Madison at 1.8 percent, and Hoover, Northport and Trussville at 1.9 percent. The major cities with the highest unemployment rates are Selma at 7.2 percent, Pritchard at 5.5 percent and Bessemer at 4.3 percent.
