Keystone Today

As the nation continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, Pennsylvania's economic recovery has been slower than the national average.

According to a press release from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry (L&I), the state's unemployment rate dropped 0.2%, from 6.4% to 6.2%, for the month of September. That compares to the national average of 4.8%, following a 0.4% drop for the month.

Just as the national unemployment recovery continues to outpace the unemployment rate within Pennsylvania, the state's economy continues to lag behind the national average. The state's total number of non-farm jobs actually decreased from August to September, losing 7,900 jobs. The civilian labor force in the state also decreased, falling by 16,000. The government sector also shed 16,500 jobs, while leisure and hospitality gained 46,100. 

According to an April 2020 press release from L&I, the unemployment rate in Pennsylvania was 6% during March of that year. Unfortunately, the state has yet to break even or beat that rate since the onset of the pandemic.

These numbers continue despite the state's decision to end the Unemployment Extended Benefits Program, according to The Brookings Institution. Opponents of the program thought that decreasing support for unemployed workers would lead to increases in employment.

Researchers at The Brookings Institution said, “Pandemic-induced job losses hit low-wage workers much harder than those earning higher wages” and “low-wage jobs have been the slowest to return.”