Nevada’s unemployment rate dropped to 5.3 percent in August, according to the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR).
This is down 0.1 percentage points from the month prior. The state’s labor force shrank by 1,303 people during the same period.
The labor force decline was the result of a decrease of 1,409 in unemployed people and a small increase of 106 in employed people.
The latest Current Employment Statistics report shows Nevada lost 3,800 jobs over the month, with construction seeing the steepest drop at 4,400 jobs. Meanwhile, Education and Health Services added 1,300 jobs.
Reno recorded a smaller decline of 400 jobs, or 0.1 percent, while Carson City gained 300 jobs, an increase of 0.9 percent.
Las Vegas reported a monthly loss of 4,300 jobs, or 0.4 percent.
“The August report shows a labor market that is largely stationary. The total number of jobs is now effectively unchanged from a year ago, and the unemployment rate fell slightly as some unemployed individuals left the labor market. Private sector employment fell by 6,000 jobs over the month, led by statistically significant declines in the Construction and Accommodation & Food Services industries. However, we have not experienced a surge in new claims for unemployment benefits from workers in those industries and data on hours worked and hourly wages continue to remain steady, pointing to an ongoing demand for workers,” said David Schmidt, Chief Economist.
More labor market data and services are available at nevadaworkforce.com
