Pennsylvania's Employment Situation: May 2008

HARRISBURG, Pa.,June 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania's seasonally
adjusted civilian labor force -- the number of people working or looking for
work -- rose to 6,405,000 in May, an increase of 35,000 from April. Both
resident employment and unemployment were up from April, 23,000 and 12,000,
respectively. The labor force was up 120,000 from May 2007, with both
employment and unemployment up over the year.

Pennsylvania's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose by 0.2 of a
percentage point to 5.2 percent in May. The state rate was three-tenths of a
percentage point below the national rate, which rose to 5.5 percent in May.
Pennsylvania's rate was up 0.9 of a percentage point from May 2007, while the
national rate was up a full percentage point from a year ago.

Pennsylvania's seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs count added 2,900 jobs in May
- the state's second consecutive monthly gain - to reach a total of 5,803,900.
Thanks to a rebound in construction, goods-producing jobs added 1,300 jobs in
May. Service providers were also up 1,600 jobs over the month with education
& health services leading the way with 2,800 jobs added - the most of any
supersector.

Pennsylvania has added 7,900 jobs since May 2007; a net gain of 178,200 jobs
since January 2003.

EDITOR'S NOTE: A breakdown of Pennsylvania's employment statistics follows.

Current Labor Force Statistics
Seasonally Adjusted
(in thousands)
Change from Change from
May April May April 2008 May 2008
2008 2008 2007 volume percent volume percent
PA
Civilian Labor
Force 6,405 6,370 6,285 35 0.5% 120 1.9%
Employment 6,074 6,051 6,014 23 0.4% 60 1.0%
Unemployment 331 319 271 12 3.8% 60 22.1%
Rate 5.2 5.0 4.3 0.2 ---- 0.9 ----

U.S.
Civilian Labor
Force 154,534 153,957 152,776 577 0.4% 1,758 1.2%
Employment 146,046 146,331 145,913 -285 -0.2% 133 0.1%
Unemployment 8,487 7,626 6,863 861 11.3% 1,624 23.7%
Rate 5.5 5.0 4.5 0.5 ---- 1.0 ----

Pennsylvania Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment
Seasonally Adjusted
(in thousands)
Change from Change from
May April May April 2008 May 2007
2008 2008 2007 volume percent volume percent

Total Nonfarm
Jobs 5,803.9 5,801.0 5,796.0 2.9 0.0% 7.9 0.1%

Goods Producing
Industries 927.9 926.6 943.9 1.3 0.1% -16.0 -1.7%

Natural Resources
& Mining 21.6 21.5 21.1 0.1 0.5% 0.5 2.4%
Construction 259.9 257.8 262.9 2.1 0.8% -3.0 -1.1%
Manufacturing 646.4 647.3 659.9 -0.9 -0.1% -13.5 -2.0%

Service Providing
Industries 4,876.0 4,874.4 4,852.1 1.6 0.0% 23.9 0.5%

Trade, Transportation &
Utilities 1,130.4 1,129.0 1,136.6 1.4 0.1% -6.2 -0.5%

Information 105.7 106.1 106.7 -0.4 -0.4% -1.0 -0.9%

Financial
Activities 329.9 329.9 332.2 0.0 0.0% -2.3 -0.7%

Professional & Business
Services 713.2 714.7 704.8 -1.5 -0.2% 8.4 1.2%

Education & Health
Services 1,092.8 1,090.0 1,072.0 2.8 0.3% 20.8 1.9%

Leisure &
Hospitality 505.8 504.1 498.8 1.7 0.3% 7.0 1.4%

Other
Services 257.2 258.1 256.7 -0.9 -0.3% 0.5 0.2%
Government 741.0 742.5 744.3 -1.5 -0.2% -3.3 -0.4%

For a more detailed breakdown of seasonally adjusted jobs data at the sector
level, please contact the Center for Workforce Information & Analysis at
1-877-4WF-DATA, or visit www.paworkstats.state.pa.us

Note: June 2008 labor force and nonfarm jobs statistics will be released July
17, 2008.

CONTACT: Troy Thompson
717-787-7530

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry

Troy Thompson of Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry,
+1-717-787-7530