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March’s seasonal unemployment decline was felt across most of the state as rates fell in nearly every area. Exceptions were noted in Bethel, the Aleutians West Census Area, and Kodiak, where the March rate remained unchanged from February. The Wade Hampton Census Area had the highest unemployment rate in the state at 17.9%, while the Aleutians East Borough posted the lowest rate at 3.6%.

Brisk construction activity contributed to the relatively low statewide unemployment rate. Although 2000 was a good year for Alaska’s construction industry, this year’s season is shaping up to be even better. As an indication, the number of unemployment weeks paid for the construction industry in March 2001 was 13.5% below the March 2000 statewide level. Significant over-the-year declines in weeks paid to unemployed construction workers took place in Anchorage and Fairbanks.

A statewide increase of 3,100 wage and salary jobs accompanied March’s unemployment decline. Every major sector of Alaska’s economy except seafood processing added jobs last month. Seasonal gains in mining, construction, and transportation contributed to job growth. Employment growth in the services industry was broad-based while retail trade’s depended largely on additional jobs in eating and drinking places.

Over-the-year employment growth in March was strong for Alaska’s mining and services industries. Nearly 1,600 jobs have been added to the state’s oil and gas sector since March 2000. The manufacturing and finance sectors were the only over-the-year job losers in March. Additional job losses in seafood processing, particularly in the Southwest region, and the continuing downward trend in the number of lumber and wood products jobs combined to pull down manufacturing employment in March.