MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Unemployment figures in West Virginia for the month of May dropped to the lowest level since March of 2020.
At the beginning of the pandemic in March of 2020 unemployment was at 5.3 percent. The pandemic high unemployment rate was 15.6 percent on April of 2020. For May of 2021 unemployment number dipped .3 percent to 5.5 percent.
May employment gains included 1,800 in leisure and hospitality, 1,000 in professional and business services and 400 in financial activities. The following sectors suffered job losses in May- 4,500 jobs in government; 500 in trade, transportation and utilities, 300 in construction and 200 in manufacturing, according to WorkForce West Virginia.