State issues strong employment report

Missouri's nonfarm payroll employment recovered strongly in March after a loss in February, and the state's seasonally-adjusted employment rate decreased by a 10th of a percentage point, according to a report released last week by the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development and the Missouri Economic Research & Information Center (MERIC).

Employment, seasonally adjusted, increased by 15,400 jobs in March compared to February. The state's seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 4.2% in March, down from 4.3% in February.

Job losses in the state, while still severe, decreased from 130,100 in February to 100,500 in March.

The state's employment picture is expected to improve throughout the spring as COVID-19 vaccinations become more widely available.

According to the report, the number of unemployed Missourians was 128,920 in March, down 3,618 from February's estimated unemployment count of 132,538.

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