By Joshua Huff, sports editor
MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Department of Labor announced on Friday that the state’s unemployment rate in May fell to 9.9%, which is down from April’s rate of 13.8%.
May’s rate represents 221,811 unemployed persons, compared to 302,535 in April.
“This month’s decrease in the unemployment rate reflects that people are returning to work following the pandemic-related shutdown,” Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said. “While we are nowhere near pre-pandemic levels, a monthly decrease of nearly four percentage points is certainly a positive. Alabama, along with the rest of the nation, will be feeling the impacts brought on by this virus for months to come. My administration is committed to helping return Alabamians to their jobs safely, and to helping Alabama businesses to reopen and grow.”
Wage and salary employment increased in May by 42,500. Monthly gains were seen in the leisure and hospitality sector (+23,600), the education and health services sector (+9,600), and the other services sector (+5,400), among others. Over the year, wage and salary employment decreased 161,500, with losses in the leisure and hospitality sector (-64,600), the professional and business services sector (-27,700), and the education and health services sector (-16,700), among others.
Counties with the lowest unemployment rates are: Clay County at 5.6%, Geneva County at 6.3%, and Shelby County at 6.5%. Counties with the highest unemployment rates are: Wilcox County at 19.3%, Lowndes County at 18.3%, and Greene County at 16.4%.
Major cities with the lowest unemployment rates are: Vestavia Hills at 5.2%, Homewood at 5.4%, and Madison at 6.2%. Major cities with the highest unemployment rates are: Prichard at 18.6%, Selma at 17.1%, and Gadsden at 15.7%.