Utah’s nonfarm payroll employment for July 2020 contracted by an estimated 1.8%, with 27,500 jobs sidelined compared to the July 2019 employment. Utah’s current employment level registers 1,516,800. Utah’s June year-over job change has been revised up two-tenths of a percentage point to -2.6%.

July’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate is estimated at 4.5%. Approximately 72,900 Utahns were unemployed during July. Utah’s June unemployment rate has been revised upward two-tenths of a percentage point to 5.3%. The national unemployment rate for July lowered to 10.2%.

“July’s employment assessment is a third consecutive month of Utah employment improvement,” reported Mark Knold, Chief Economist at the Department of Workforce Services. “While the pace of job gains moderated a bit compared to the prior two months, the Utah economy is rebounding with vigor.”

Utah’s private sector employment in July continued its path toward improvement, with the year-over setback lessening to -2.3%.

Four of 10 private-sector major industry groups measured in the establishment survey posted net job gains in July, up from three in June. Primary gains are observed in:

• Construction (7,900 jobs)
• Trade, Transportation and Utilities (3,900 jobs)
• Financial Activities (3,000 jobs)

Six industry groups posted employment declines. These were most impactful in:

• Leisure and Hospitality Services (-30,000 jobs)
• Education and Healthcare (-6,800)
• Professional and Business Services (-6,200 jobs)

Listen to Chief Economist Mark Knold break down the July 2020 employment report:

For more information visit our Labor Market Employment Update web pages.

SALT LAKE CITY (Aug. 21, 2020) — Following the release of the July 2020 employment numbers for the state of Utah, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data shows Utah is ranked No. 2 for total job growth in the U.S. at -1.8%. In addition, Utah is ranked No. 2 for private sector job growth at -2.3%. For unemployment, Utah is ranked No. 1 at 4.5%.

BLS data shows Utah rankings as follows:

TOTAL JOB GROWTH

(1)  Idaho:  -0.7%

(2)  Utah:  -1.8%

(3)  Arizona:  -3.6%

(3)  Mississippi:  -3.6%

PRIVATE SECTOR JOB GROWTH

(1)  Idaho:  -1.0%

(2)  Utah:  -2.3%

(3)  Nebraska:  -3.6%

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

(1)  Utah:  4.5%

(2)  Nebraska:  4.8%

(3)  Idaho:  5.0%

(4)  Kentucky:  5.7%

(5)  South Dakota:  6.3%

(6)  Montana:  6.4%

(7)  Iowa:  6.6%

(7)  North Dakota:  6.6%

(9)  Missouri:  6.9%

(10)  Wisconsin:  7.0%

*Source: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/laus.toc.htm