Initial virus fallout sends Pennsylvania jobless rate to 6%

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania's unemployment rate zoomed upward in March to its highest point since 2014 as the effects of Gov. Tom Wolf's coronavirus-related business shutdown and stay-at-home orders began to be felt, according to figures released Friday.

Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate shot up to 6%, up from 4.7% in February, the state Department of Labor and Industry said.

The national rate was 4.4% in March. But unemployment surveys were conducted well before the full force of the shutdowns took effect, resulting in more than 1.4 million Pennsylvanians filing for unemployment benefits since March 15, or nearly one in four workers.

Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate last year hit a nearly two-decade low of 4.1%.

A separate survey of households found Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force fell by 19,000, just a month after hitting a new record above 6.5 million. Employment fell by 104,000, while unemployment rose by 85,000.

A separate survey of employers showed seasonally adjusted nonfarm payrolls fell by 40,000 in March, below 6.1 million after hitting record levels earlier this year. That wiped out eight months of gains.

Hardest hit was the leisure and hospitality sector, off by 17,000. Financial activities grew slightly, the only sector to expand.

Friday’s figures are preliminary and could change.

In other coronavirus-related developments in Pennsylvania:

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CASES

The COVID-19 death toll rose by 49 to 756, the state Department of Health reported Friday, with more than 1,700 additional people testing positive for the virus.

Statewide, more than 29,400 people have tested positive, according to the latest statistics. More than half of the people infected are 50 or older, while most of the deaths are among people 65 and older.

Nursing homes are bearing the brunt. More than half of the state’s fatalities have occurred in more than 320 nursing and personal-care homes scattered throughout Pennsylvania, according to the department, while more than 3,700 residents of nursing homes and personal care homes and 420 employees have contracted the virus.

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CASINO REVENUE

Revenues dropped by more than half last month in Pennsylvania’s 12 casinos and other gambling outlets as casinos shut down in an effort to stop the spread of the virus.

Still, online casino gambling remained active and revenue from those outlets crept upward in Pennsylvania, the nation's No. 2 state in commercial casino revenue last year, behind Nevada.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board said casinos brought in $153 million from gambling and fantasy sports betting in March, down 52% from $316 million from the same month a year ago.

Hardest hit was the Wind Creek Bethlehem Casino, dropping 71%. The casino's online slot machine games and table games including poker remain active, and revenue crept upward to $24 million from $19.5 million in February.

Online sports wagering also remains active, although bets fell in March to $131 million from $330 million in February as professional and college sports all but shut down.

Pennsylvania wasn't alone.

New Jersey’s casino and sports betting revenue fell over 44% from a year ago, Indiana’s casinos took in nearly 55% less from a year ago, Maryland took in nearly 58% less, and Michigan’s casinos netted over 59% less.