Wednesday, July 10, 2019

March 2019 Unemployment Rates for Philadelphia and Surrounding Counties Lowest in Years - What is Current Unemployment Rate in Pennsylvania? Occupations With Highest and Lowest Unemployment Rates in Pennsylvania


Unemployment Rate in Chester County, Pennsylvania is the Lowest in the State


Philadelphia's Three Bedroom Counties Enjoying Historically Low Unemployment Rates

Chester County Has the Lowest Rate of Unemployment in Pennsylvania

According to an article published by the Philadelphia Inquirer last week, the unemployment rate in Chester County, Pennsylvania is so low that some industries are unable to keep up with their labor demands. Right now, the unemployment rate sits at 2.6 percent: the lowest in the state.

Some Industries in the Chester County Area Face a Labor Shortage.

The chief executive of the Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry told the Philadelphia Inquirer that for every one person looking for a job, two or three are available. There were 25,532 online job postings for Chester County in April, according to the Department of Community Development. This is consistent with the usual yearly trend of job postings going up in April, and when considering the current unemployment rate, it is no surprise that there are labor shortages.

How is Unemployment Defined?

Not everyone without a job is considered “unemployed”. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment is defined as people who do not have a job, have looked for a job within the last 4 weeks, and are available for work. People who have been laid off and are waiting to be called back are included in unemployment statistics.

How do the Unemployment Rates of Other Philadelphia Suburban Counties Compare to that of Chester County?

Chester County is not the only county in the Philadelphia area whose unemployment rate has dropped steadily over the last few years.

Since 2017, the rate in Pennsylvania as a whole has gone down by 0.8 percent

What is the Unemployment Rate in Montgomery County, PA?

In Montgomery County, which currently has an unemployment rate of 3 percent, it has gone down by 0.9 percent. 

What is the Unemployment Rate in Delaware County, PA?


What is the Unemployment Rate in Bucks County, PA?

In Bucks County, it has gone down by a full 1 percent, and now sits at 3.4 percent. Even in the city it has gone down: between 2017 and 2019, the Philadelphia County’s unemployment rate has dropped 1.6 percent, leaving it at 4.6 percent.
  
In fact, all eleven Philadelphia area counties have lower unemployment rates now than they did in 2017. During the month of March alone, over 10,000 people went from being unemployed to employed in the state of Pennsylvania.

Despite this, some Pennsylvanians - particularly those in Philadelphia - believe that the availability of jobs is not enough. Many people are of the opinion that the ability to get a job is useless if it does not pay enough to make a living, which is often the case in the city.


Here are up to date unemployment statistics from Pennsylvania's Department of Labor:


What Industries are Seeking Workers in Chester County?

While there are opportunities in nearly every industry right now - nursing, technology, customer service, financing, etc. - the agriculture and transportation industries have the most open positions.


Kennett Square’s Phillip Mushroom Farms alone is seeking 30-40 more people, namely harvesters. It is not a job that requires much education or previous experience, so it is accessible to nearly everyone looking for a full time position.

The transportation is similarly searching for full time workers. It is also another industry with on-the-job training and only lower education requirements. There were nearly 4,000 postings in April related to the industry, however, with the rise of online shopping, truck driving has gone down in popularity.

Vanguard's Main Office in Malvern PA

The Vanguard Company Inc., an investment company with its headquarters in Malvern (Chester County), is also one of the hiring powerhouses in the Philadelphia suburbs. As of July 2019, the company had over 300 positions open when the Inquirer article was written, ranging from entry level to supervisory positions.

Philadelphia Area Unemployment Lawyers Representing Employees 
                       in Unemployment Referee Hearings


Let's Talk
610-647-5027

We typically represent workers who need an employment lawyer in Philadelphia County, Delaware County, Montgomery County, Bucks County, Chester County, Berks County and Lancaster County.

Pennsylvania Unemployment Employment Attorneys Provide Free Telephone Consultations (15 Minutes in Duration)

If you are looking for an unemployment lawyer, and live in Paoli, Exton, Frazer, Phoenixville, Downingtown, Coatesville, West Chester, Newtown Square, Nether Providence, Springfield, Aston, Broomall, Marple, Villanova, Lansdowne, Wayne, Ardmore, Bryn Mawr, Glenolden, Havertown, Haverford, Limerick, Oaks, Lansdale, Chalfont, Lower Merion or any of their surrounding towns, feel free to send us an e-mail via our Contact Form or give us a call at 610-647-5027.  We are always glad to spend some time with people via a free telephone consultation.

Need an Experienced Lawyer for an Unemployment Hearing Before a Referee In  King of Prussia, Springfield, Bristol, Reading, Lancaster or Philadelphia?