• About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
Thursday, May 29, 2025
The Iowa Torch
  • Home
  • State Government
  • Federal Government
  • Local Government
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • State Government
  • Federal Government
  • Local Government
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Opinion
The Iowa Torch
The Iowa Torch
No Result
View All Result
Home State Government

Iowa Sees Slight Increase in Unemployment in May

Iowa’s unemployment rate increased slightly to 3.9 percent from 3.8 percent in April.  The state’s jobless rate was 8.3 percent one year ago.

Iowa TorchbyIowa Torch
June 29, 2021
in State Government
Reading Time: 3 mins read
Iowa’s New Unemployment Rate Holds Steady, Overall Rates Rise

DES MOINES, Iowa – Iowa’s unemployment rate increased slightly to 3.9 percent from 3.8 percent in April.  The state’s jobless rate was 8.3 percent one year ago.  Iowa’s labor force participation rate increased from 66.1 percent in April to 66.4 percent in May as the total number of working Iowans increased to 1,584,000 in May.  The number of unemployed Iowans and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased slightly by 1,300 and 0.1 percent respectively.  The U.S. unemployment rate decreased to 5.8 percent in May.

RELATED POSTS

Reynolds signs bill enacting flat tax in 2025

Reynolds joins bipartisan opposition to Biden Administration’s Space Force proposal

Iowa lawmakers enact flat tax for 2025

“The positive takeaways from May’s monthly job report are that the number of Iowans in the workforce increased by 6,300; the number of Iowans working increased by 5,000 and claims numbers in May were down significantly from the previous month,” sBeth Townsend, Director of Iowa Workforce Development, said.  “While the number of unemployed Iowans ticked up slightly, the overall trend is positive for Iowa as we see more and more Iowans returning to the workforce.”

This figure was 5,000 higher than April’s number of 1,579,000 and 60,900 higher than May 2020. The number of unemployed Iowans increased to 63,500 in May from 62,200 in April.  The current estimate is 1,300 higher than last month and 74,300 lower than a year ago. The labor force participation rate has gradually increased every month this year.

ADVERTISEMENT

Iowa recently ended its participation in the federal pandemic-related unemployment benefit programs that went into effect on June 12, which should be reflected in June’s report released sometime in July.

Seasonally Adjusted Nonfarm Employment

Total nonfarm employment in Iowa increased slightly in May, adding 800 jobs compared to April and lifting the jobs total to 1,518,400. Combined, private industries were little changed this month and goods-producing industries returned mixed results with hiring in manufacturing being offset by a decline in construction and mining, logging, and natural resources. Government continues to trend up with gains in the federal, state, and local levels in May. This gain marks the fifth consecutive monthly increase for government which is now up 15,200 jobs versus this time one year ago. Private industries have pared jobs in three of the last four months but did experience a recent high in March. Overall, private industries have added 82,000 jobs compared to last May.

Professional and business services added the most jobs this month (+1,300). This increase follows a drop of 1,400 in April. Administrative support and waste management gained 600 and professional, scientific, and technical services added 800 jobs. Leisure and hospitality continued to trend up in May with 800 jobs added. The hiring was evenly split between both arts, entertainment, and recreation along with accommodations and food services. Manufacturing added 800 jobs in the durable goods sector. This month’s increase is the third consecutive with 3,200 jobs added since February. On the other hand, nondurable goods industries have shed 1,000 jobs during that same span. Trade and transportation shed the most jobs of any super sector in May (-1,400). Most of this loss stemmed from retail trade (-1,000). This is the third consecutive loss for retail with 3,500 jobs lost during that span. Financial activities decreased by 900 jobs. Many of which were shed within credit intermediation and related activities. Construction posted the only other major loss in May, paring 800 jobs.

Compared to last May, total nonfarm employment has added 97,200 jobs. Leisure and hospitality continue to rebuild staffing levels and is up 35,500 jobs. Most of the growth has been in accommodations and food services (+27,200). Trade and transportation have increased due to hiring in retail and is up 14,400. Education and health services have added a combined 12,600. Information and construction are the only sectors shedding jobs versus one year ago. Both sectors are down a slight 500 jobs.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

The total number of initial claims decreased in May 2021 by 7,816 (-35.3 percent) from April 2021 and have fallen 38,913 (-73.1 percent) from May 2020. The number of recipients decreased by 32.0 percent from last month and are down 181,889 over the prior year. The weeks paid decreased to 75,625 in May, approximately 11 percent of the 703,289 paid in May 2020, while the total amount paid to claimants decreased to $28.3 million from $38.2 million the previous month and approximately 13 percent of the $219 million paid twelve months ago.

Tags: Beth TownsendCOVID-19Iowa unemployment rateIowa workforceIowa Workforce Development
ShareTweetShare
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

Iowa Approves $100 Million in Provisional Funding for Sports and Entertainment Venues

Next Post

Poll Shows Iowans Closely Split on Protect Life Amendment

Iowa Torch

Iowa Torch

The Iowa Torch​ is a for-profit, news organization that focuses on political news as it relates to Iowans.

Related Posts

State Officials Release Back-to-School Guidance for COVID-19
State Government

Federal appeals court upholds Iowa’s law banning mask mandates

February 29, 2024
State Government

Reynolds on new COVID restrictions: ‘Not on my watch’

August 30, 2023
Opinion

Hendrickson: Governor Kim Reynolds sets the gold standard for state policy

August 21, 2023
Iowa’s New Unemployment Rate Holds Steady, Overall Rates Rise
State Government

Workforce participation in Iowa reaches pre-pandemic levels

August 18, 2023
coronavirus
Opinion

Miller-Meeks: Understanding the origins of COVID-19 will prepare us for the future

March 13, 2023
State of Iowa to end mandatory COVID-19 reporting on April 1
State Government

State of Iowa to end mandatory COVID-19 reporting on April 1

February 27, 2023
Next Post

Poll Shows Iowans Closely Split on Protect Life Amendment

Hinson: We Need to Reform Our Legal Immigration System

Recommended Articles

Reynolds Signs Charter School Expansion Bill Into Law

Hendrickson: Iowa Poll Affirms that Iowa Supports Governor Reynolds and Conservative Policies

September 20, 2021
Des Moines City Council Approves $500K in Additional COVID-19 Relief

Des Moines City Council Approves $500K in Additional COVID-19 Relief

December 7, 2020
Kerr Will Not Seek Re-Election in Iowa House District 95 in 2022

Kerr Will Not Seek Re-Election in Iowa House District 95 in 2022

January 5, 2022

Popular Stories

  • Rozenboom: Reflecting on the First Week of the 2021 Legislative Session

    Rozenboom: Reflecting on the First Week of the 2021 Legislative Session

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Phil Thompson will not seek re-election to the Iowa House

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Iowa Schools Now Required to Lead Students in Pledge of Allegiance

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Bousselot Announces He Will Run for the Iowa Senate

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Three LGTBQ Books with Sexually Explicit Material Pulled from Waukee School

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
The Iowa Torch

The Iowa Torch​ is a for-profit, news organization that focuses on political news as it relates to Iowans

Categories

  • Current Events
  • Education
  • Federal Government
  • Iowa History
  • Local Government
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • State Government

Newsletter

© 2022 The Iowa Torch, a publication of 4:15 Communications, LLC.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • State Government
  • Federal Government
  • Local Government
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Opinion

© 2022 The Iowa Torch, a publication of 4:15 Communications, LLC.