Alabama unemployment rate drops to 3.0%, reaches best figures since 2019

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March 25, 2022

Newly released statistics from the Alabama Department of Labor (ADOL) show that the state’s unemployment rate had dropped to 3.0% for the month of February.

The new unemployment rate represents a slight decrease from that of last month’s, which was 3.1%. This time last year, the unemployment rate sat at 3.8%. The number of unemployed individuals dropped from 69,125 in January to 68,703 in February.

Current figures represent the lowest level of unemployment since November 2019, according to the ADOL.

In a release, ADOL secretary Fitzgerald Washington expressed excitement over the updated statistics and conveyed optimism that the numbers would continue to improve throughout the year.

“We’re excited to see a drop in our unemployment rate after holding steady for the past five months,” stated Washington. “In February, our civilian labor force increased, employment increased, and unemployment dropped to its lowest level since November 2019. These are great numbers, and we’re hopeful we that we will only see them improve as the year progresses.”

The trade, transportation and utilities sector led February’s employment gains, followed by the professional and business services sector and the leisure and hospitality sector.

“We had some pretty good news on the wage front as well,” added Washington. “Our total private weekly wages hit its second highest point at $984.56, which is $62.93 more per week than last year. Three sectors hit new record highs, each with yearly increases of more than $100 per week!”

ADOL reports that the construction, professional and business services, educational and health services sector all attained new record high weekly wages.