Governor Glenn Youngkin has announced that, according to the BLS Current Employment Statistics Survey (“CES” or “establishment survey”) data, Virginia’s nonfarm payroll employment increased by 5,900 over-the-month to 4,271,400, a 48,300 increase since March 2024. Since January 2022, the CES job count has increased 266,800.
“Nonfarm payrolls added nearly 6,000 jobs. This job growth reflects businesses hiring as Virginians continue to find opportunities,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “Virginia has jobs, and we’re committed to strengthening the business environment so that everyone can find a path to success right here in the Commonwealth.”
The Commonwealth’s labor force participation rate decreased by 0.2 percentage points to 65.5 percent in March. The labor force participation rate measures the proportion of the civilian population age 16 and older that is employed or actively looking for work.
“The decline in labor force participation and employment suggests some Virginians may be sitting on the sidelines. However, continued job growth in payroll data shows that employers are still hiring and creating opportunities. Our focus remains on re-engaging jobseekers and connecting them to the training and resources they need to thrive in today’s job market,” said Secretary of Labor Bryan Slater.
BLS publishes an additional employment figure the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (“LAUS”, or “the household survey”) that showed Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in March increased by 0.1 percentage points to 3.2 percent, which is 0.4 percentage points above the rate from a year ago and 1.0 percentage points below the national rate, which increased by 0.1 percentage points to 4.2 percent. The labor force decreased by 9,752 to 4,586,386 as the number of unemployed residents increased by 5,029 to 145,441. The number of employed residents decreased by 14,781 to 4,440,945.
“We’re working every day to support employers and foster innovation across the Commonwealth’s key industries. Nearly 6,000 nonfarm payroll jobs were added last month, demonstrating that Virginia’s business environment continues to attract growth even amid broader labor market fluctuations.” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Juan Pablo Segura.
The LAUS survey is based on household interviews conducted each month for the Bureau of Labor Statistics and provides comprehensive data on the labor force, including those who are employed and unemployed. Establishment survey data reflects changes for updated seasonal adjustment factors, and industry classification conversions (NAICS), as part of the annual benchmarking process.
The household survey only distinguishes between whether a person is employed or unemployed, whereas CES counts each employee that is on an employer’s payroll. CES excludes business owners, self-employed persons, unpaid volunteers and private household workers, and those on unpaid leave or not working because of a labor dispute.
For more details, visit the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement website at https://www.virginiaworks.gov.