August unemployment rate was 7.2 percent

Alaska’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose two-tenths of a percentage point from July into August, up to 7.2 percent, compared to the national rate of 4.4 percent.

The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development said that although unemployment rates generally fell from July to August because of Alaska’s normal seasonal patterns that those rates mostly higher than a year ago levels. Only the Valdez Cordova census area, Kenai Peninsula Borough and Kodiak Island Borough did not register higher unemployment rates in August of 2017 than for the same period a year ago.

The agency said that employment in August declined by an estimated 1.4 percent, or 4,800 jobs, compared to August a year ago. Preliminary estimates show job losses spread across most industries, although losses do remain concentrated in industries closely tied to oil or oil revenue.

The state agency said jobs in the oil and gas industry were down by 1,000, followed by 1,000 in construction, 800 in professional and business services, 600 in manufacturing and 600 in state government. Health care, local government and federal government employment were all up slightly over August 2016 levels.

The not-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for August was 6.3 percent, down three-tenths of a percentage point from July. Although August is the tail end of summer, employment typically remains high as tourism, fishing and construction continue to drive seasonal employment.

Statewide unemployment rates fell or remained the same compared to July in 24 of 29 boroughs and census areas. Fishing and tourism drove the lowest rates around the state, with Aleutians East and Aleutians West at 1.7 percent and 2.7 percent respectively, and Skagway and Denali Borough at 2.8 percent and 3.4 percent respectively. Kusilvak census area had the highest rate, 21.2 percent.

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