South By North Strategies, Ltd.

The May employment report for North Carolina paints a picture of a fragile labor market. Last month, the state added 12,900 more payroll positions than it lost. The gains were concentrated in the public sector due to significant hiring by the federal government, most likely for temporary census positions.

In May, employers added 12,900 more positions than they eliminated. The public sector netted 16,100 positions with federal hiring accounting for 80 percent of the total. Total private-sector payrolls, in contrast, fell by 3,200 positions. Among private industries, manufacturing shed the most positions (-2,900) followed by leisure and hospitality services (-2,700), Those losses were offset by gains in professional and business services (+1,600) and trade, transportation, and utilities (+1,300). And a revision to the April data raised net payroll growth for that month from 7,500 to 10,200.

Stabilizing labor market conditions are reflected in May’s household data. Last month, the labor force contracted by 0.1 percent as 6,027 individuals stopped working or seeking work. The number of employed individuals rose, and the number of unemployed individuals declined. The unemployment rate therefore dipped from 10.8 percent to 10.3 percent. Since the start of the recession, the number of unemployed Tar Heels has grown by 123.3 percent, and the unemployment rate has jumped from 4.7 percent to 10.3 percent.

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