Special to Iredell Free News

RALEIGH — The State of North Carolina’s seasonally adjusted September unemployment rate was 7.3 percent, increasing 0.8 of a percentage point from August’s revised rate.

The national rate decreased 0.5 of a percentage point to 7.9 percent.

North Carolina’s September 2020 unemployment rate increased 3.6 percentage points from a year ago. The number of people employed increased 38,683 over the month to 4,558,033 and decreased 352,111 over the year. The number of people unemployed increased 44,278 over the month to 356,952 and increased 166,666 over the year.

Seasonally adjusted Total Nonfarm industry employment, as gathered through the monthly establishment survey, increased 48,100 to 4,316,200 in September. Major industries experiencing increases were Government, 13,100; Leisure & Hospitality Services, 12,100; Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 8,500; Professional & Business Services, 4,700; Other Services, 2,400; Financial Activities, 2,200; Construction, 2,000; Manufacturing, 2,000; Information, 700; and Education & Health Services, 400. Mining & Logging employment remained unchanged.

Since September 2019, Total Nonfarm jobs decreased 267,400 with the Total Private sector decreasing by 246,700 and Government decreasing by 20,700. The only major industry experiencing an over-the-year increase was Financial Activities, 1,400. Major industries experiencing decreases were Leisure & Hospitality Services, 115,000; Education & Health Services, 42,500; Manufacturing, 37,800; Government, 20,700; Professional & Business Services, 20,200; Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 14,400; Construction, 10,400; Information, 5,800; Other Services, 1,800; and Mining & Logging, 200.