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Pennsylvania's unemployment rate at lowest since June 2000

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CBS News Pittsburgh Live

HARRISBURG (KDKA) - The unemployment rate in August was at its lowest rate since the year 2000. 

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, the unemployment rate was down to 4.2-percent, the lowest since June 2000.

"With Pennsylvania's unemployment rate dipping to 4.2 percent – its lowest point since June 2000 – this moment is an opportunity to reflect on the value of labor and celebrate the fact that Pennsylvania workers have access to a competitive job market right now. We must also remember that records are meant to be broken and trends change over time," said Labor and Industry Secretary Jennifer Berrier.

The Commonwealth's civilian labor force was up 2,000 over the month and the employment count rose by 4,000 to 6,175,000 while unemployment declined by 2,000 to 273,000. 

Meanwhile, the U.S. unemployment rate was up two-tenths of a percentage point to 3.7 percent. 

Pennsylvania, from April 2020 through August 2022, has recovered approximately 90 percent of the jobs lost in the first two months of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

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