Arlington’s unemployment rate is at 2 percent from April to May, according to statistics released by the Virginia Employment Commission last week.
According to the commission, unemployment of 2 percent or less means a jurisdiction is in the midst of a labor shortage. Arlington unemployment is lower than the Virginia average of 2.9 percent, which is a five-year low for the state. Alexandria’s unemployment also is lower than the state average at 2.3 percent.
The rate for the entire Northern Virginia region is 2.1 percent, compared to a nationwide unemployment rate of 4.9 percent.
Jim Wilson, an economist with the employment commission, attributes low unemployment rates in Alexandria and Arlington to hiring by the federal government.
“Northern Virginia is even lower than the state,” he told The Examiner. “It has been consistently lower than the state for a while. So long as the federal government is there, they’re going to keep hiring people.”
Marcy Foster, head of human resources for Arlington, said the county was feeling the labor pinch.
“It’s a very tight labor market so it’s taking us longer to find the right candidate,” she said. “Usually a search takes 90 days, and maybe we’re looking at 120 to 150” days.
Foster said the labor shortage has not prevented the county from getting necessary work finished. It has, however, detracted from its ability to get work done as quickly as it would like. “The work’s getting done. It’s just that we might get things done better and faster,” she said.
Foster added that the county had experienced problems getting positions filled in a timely manner before. She said that five years ago, the county experienced a labor shortage, but since then had no problem filling jobs until six months ago.
The highest unemployment rate in the state was Danville City with 10.9 percent. The lowest rates in the state were Loudoun and Green counties, with unemployment rates of 1.7 percent. Richmond has a rate of 3.7 percent, and 3.5 percent of workers in Roanoke are unemployed.
Going against the unemployment trend
» The low unemployment numbers were unexpected, as recent college graduates enter the work force in May, creating additional labor supply.
» This is the first time Virginia unemployment has been under 3 percent in five years, according to the commission.
