RICHMOND, Va. - Governor Glenn Youngkin announced that the number of employed Virginians has expanded by more than 18,000.
The governor announced the number of employed Virginians expanded to more than 4.2 million workers in May 2022.
Virginia has added nearly 80,000 since February. According to Youngkin, Virginia’s unemployment rate held steady at 3 percent in May, which is below the national rate that has been unchanged at 3.6 percent.
The Commonwealth’s labor force participation rate, measuring the proportion of the population age 16 and older that is employed or actively looking for work, rose by 0.3 percent to 63.8 percent in May.
According to a survey, the number of employed residents rose by 18,134 to 4,218,336.
April’s employment growth was the eighth-largest monthly increase and May’s was the tenth-largest, dating back to 1976.
Youngkin says, the labor force increased by 17,175 to 4,347,177, and unemployed residents decreased by 959 to 128,841.
“I’m encouraged, after one of the worst job recoveries from the pandemic in the nation, nearly 80,000 more Virginians are working today than when I took office,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “Virginia is heading in the right direction. We are focused on getting Virginians back to work and expanding opportunity across the Commonwealth. While our labor force participation continues to increase, with fewer people working than before the pandemic there is still plenty of room for growth.”
The largest over-the-year job increase occurred in Leisure and Hospitality, up 64,000 jobs (+18.8%). The second-largest was in Education and Health Services, up 20,500 jobs (+3.8%). The third-largest occurred in Government, up 14,700 jobs (+2.1%).
Job losses occurred in Finance (-4,200 jobs) to 205,700 and Construction, with a decrease of 1,000 jobs to 205,100, Youngkin's release states.
