(HOUSTON) Houston’s unemployment rate for June rose to 3.8 percent, up more than half a point from record lows recorded in April and May, according to figures released this morning by Workforce Solutions. Overall, 14,700 people found work in June, primarily in retail sales & foodservice industries.
“This is a typical summertime pattern in Houston,” said Workforce Solutions Senior Economist Parker Harvey. “Young adults and high school students are working summer jobs to earn extra money.” While restaurants and bars continue to add jobs year over year, he said the retail sales industry “is still in a downturn, having lost 3,300 jobs since this time last year.”
Houston’s construction sector added more than 4,000 jobs last month, primarily in the specialty trade industry, which Harvey said is composed of workers performing interior drywall and carpentry. In other words, finish work on new construction, remodeling, or post-hurricane remediation projects.
Seasonal layoffs in the Government sector, specifically related to public school personnel, offset a portion of the month’s gains and likely contributed to the bump in the overall unemployment rate.
Additional labor market information and the detailed June report can be found at wrksolutions.com/localstats. The Texas Workforce Commission will release employment numbers for July 2019 on August 16.