SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s unemployment rate for July was 4.5 percent, and that marks the third consecutive month of employment improvement, the Utah Department of Workforce Services reported Friday.
Utah’s nonfarm payroll employment for July 2020 contracted by an estimated 1.8 percent, with 27,500 jobs sidelined compared to the July 2019 employment. Utah’s current employment level registers 1,516,800. Utah’s June year-over job change has been revised up two-tenths of a percentage point to -2.6 percent.
July’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate is estimated at 4.5 percent. Approximately 72,900 Utahns were unemployed during July. Utah’s June unemployment rate has been revised upward two-tenths of a percentage point to 5.3 percent. The national unemployment rate for July lowered to 10.2 percent.
“July’s employment assessment is a third consecutive month of Utah employment improvement,” reported Mark Knold, Chief Economist at the Department of Workforce Services. “While the pace of job gains moderated a bit compared to the prior two months, the Utah economy is rebounding with vigor.”
Utah’s private sector employment in July continued its path toward improvement, with the yearover setback lessening to -2.3 percent.
Four of 10 private-sector major industry groups measured in the establishment survey posted net job gains in July, up from three in June.
Primary gains are observed in:
- Construction (7,900 jobs)
- Trade, Transportation and Utilities (3,900 jobs)
- Financial Activities (3,000 jobs)
Six industry groups posted employment declines.
These were most impactful in:
- Leisure and Hospitality Services (-30,000 jobs)
- Education and Healthcare (-6,800)
- Professional and Business Services (-6,200 jobs)