Schuylkill County’s unemployment rate rose to 13.9% in July as pandemic restrictions against businesses continue to have a detrimental effect locally.
The July 2020 unemployment rate for Schuylkill County is the second-highest rate of the year. The rate hit its highest in April at 16.2% when the strictest pandemic orders against businesses were in place.
However, it seems the restrictions that remain are having a big impact on the local economy. After two months of unemployment at 13%, the rate rose nearly a full percent in July.
The Schuylkill County unemployment rate is reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and is available here. The July 2020 rate was released on Sept. 2, 2020.
Schuylkill County Unemployment Rate for July 2020 – 13.9% (+.9%)
The unemployment rate in Schuylkill County has been directly affected by the coronavirus pandemic. However, the trend in Schuylkill County is in contrast to the rest of the country. But it’s right in line with the whole of Pennsylvania.
Statewide, the Pennsylvania unemployment rate for July 2020 (last updated on Aug. 21) is 13.7 and was at its highest of 16.1% back in April.
Pennsylvania businesses have faced among the most draconian restrictions in the US since the start of the pandemic in March. Restaurants are still restricted to just 25% capacity and many colleges and universities are now sending students home from school, damaging the economies in many smaller communities.
However, in data released from BLS on Friday, the unemployment trend in Schuylkill County is converse to the national rate.
In August, the unemployment rate across the country dropped 1.8% to 8.4%.
These latest numbers are a stark contrast to the figures at this time last year. After reaching a low of 4.5% in April 2019, the unemployment rate in Schuylkill County at this time last year was a full 8% lower than it is now.
Just prior to the pandemic, this was the unemployment rate in Schuylkill County for the first 3 months of the year:
- January 2020: 6.1%
- February 2020: 6.1%
- March 2020: 6.9%
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