This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Utah's unemployment rate ticked up one-tenth of a point to 3.2 percent in May.
But the more important figure in the monthly labor report released Friday by the state Department of Workforce Services was that the state's economy added 44,500 nonfarm jobs over the past year, a desirable 3.1 percent growth rate.
"Utah's labor market continues to expand across the vast majority of business sectors," said Carrie Mayne, the department's chief economist. "We are currently in the 83rd month of the state's longest job market expansion in the last 15 years."
All but one industry sector grew over the past year, the laggard again being natural resources and mining, where 700 jobs were lost.
By contrast, the past year has been good for workers involved in professional and business services. That sector added 11,800 jobs from May to May, a 5.9 percent expansion rate that was better than any other economic sector.
The important construction industry also fared well over the past year. It grew by 5.6 percent, providing jobs to 5,200 more people than in May of 2016.
Trade, transportation and utility companies boosted their payrolls year-over-year by 9,400 positions, a 3.5 percent bump. Manufacturing grew by 2.7 percent, adding 3,400 jobs. That was slightly better than the 3,300 new positions in the leisure and hospitality industry.
Education and health services remained a solid sector, increasing by 3,900 jobs, a 2.1 percent gain. The government sector expanded by 5,500 jobs, up 2.3 percent, mostly at the state and local levels.
The higher jobless rate reflects the fact that more people (50,800) were out of work but actively seeking employment in May.