Territory to State Double disasters earthquake and flood Prudhoe Bay oil strike $900 million oil lease sale ANCSA passed Pipeline construction boom Fisheries slowly recover Crab becomes "king" 80s boom and recession Bottomfish industry develops Hard rock mining revival Exxon Valdez spill and cleanup Tourism/retail booms Oil flow slows, cools economy Department of Labor and Workforce Development Tony Knowles, Governor of Alaska
December 1999 Volume 19 Number 12 ISSN 0160-3345 Alaska Economic Trends is a monthly publication dealing with a variety of economic-related issues in the state. Alaska Economic Trends is funded by the Employment Security Division and published by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, P.O. Box 21149, Juneau, Alaska 99802-1149. Printed and distributed by Assets, Inc., a vocational training and employment program, at a cost of $.86 per copy. For more information, call the DOL Publications Office at (907) 465-6019 or email the authors. Material in this publication is public information and, with appropriate credit, may be reproduced without permission. Trends is available on the Internet. Joanne Erskine, Associate Editor December Trends authors are Labor Economists with the Research and Analysis Section, Administrative Services Division, Department of Labor and Workforce Development. John Boucher and Rachel Baker are based in Juneau, and Neal Fried and Brigitta Windisch-Cole are based in Anchorage. Single or multiple copies, back issues: Ann Nielsen (907) 465-4500 Long-Term Retrospective 3 Alaska's economy since statehood Employment Scene 22 Labor Markets Remain Tight But employment growth is cooling off
Alaska's Population has been Growing 700,000 600,000 500,000 400,000 300,000 200,000 100,000 State population Source: Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Research and Analysis Section, Demographic Unit 1959-1999 0 1959 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 1999
Defense Spending A staple of the 1960s $1,200 $Millions (1999 dollars) $1,000 $800 $600 $400 $200 $0 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 Source: Adapted from Federal Revenues and Spending in Alaska, Institute of Social and Economic Research, 1981
Employment by Industry Alaska 1960-1999 Source: Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Research and Analysis Section Annual Annual Annual Annual Annual Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg. Growth Growth Growth Growth Growth Rate Rate Rate Rate Rate Alaska 1960 1970 1960-70 1980 1970-80 1990 1980-90 1999 1 1990-99 1960-99 Total Nonag. Wage and Salary 56,900 92,400 4.8% 171,100 6.0% 238,100 3.3% 275,600 1.5% 3.4% Mining 1,100 3,000 9.3% 6,700 7.6% 11,500 5.3% 9,600-1.8% 4.1% Oil & Gas Extraction 400 2,700 14.8% 6,200 7.9% 10,300 5.0% 8,100-2.4% 4.6% Construction 5,900 6,900 1.6% 10,600 4.2% 10,500-0.1% 13,200 2.3% 2.0% Manufacturing 5,800 7,800 2.9% 14,000 5.7% 17,200 2.1% 14,500-1.7% 2.2% Logging, Lumber & Pulp 2,200 2,800 2.4% 3,500 2.2% 4,000 1.3% 1,500-9.1% -1.0% Seafood Processing 2,800 3,700 2.8% 7,800 7.1% 9,500 2.0% 9,200-0.3% 2.7% Transportation/Comm/Utilities 6,800 9,100 2.9% 17,200 6.2% 20,600 1.8% 25,700 2.2% 3.0% Trucking & Warehousing 900 1,700 6.2% 3,000 5.5% 2,400-2.2% 2,900 1.9% 2.7% Water Transportation 1,500 800-6.1% 1,400 5.5% 1,400 0.0% 1,900 3.0% 0.6% Air Transportation 2,000 3,000 4.0% 5,200 5.4% 6,900 2.8% 9,200 2.9% 3.3% Communications & Utilities 1,800 2,700 4.0% 7,600 9.5% 5,700-2.9% 7,100 2.2% 3.1% Trade 7,700 15,300 6.6% 29,400 6.3% 46,000 4.4% 57,000 2.1% 3.9% Wholesale Trade 1,400 3,200 7.8% 5,500 5.3% 8,100 3.8% 9,000 1.1% 3.7% Retail Trade 6,300 12,100 6.3% 23,800 6.5% 37,900 4.6% 48,000 2.4% 3.9% Gen. Merchandise and Apparel 1,700 3,400 6.7% 4,300 2.3% 5,900 3.1% 9,300 4.5% 3.5% Food Stores 900 1,700 6.2% 3,700 7.4% 6,600 5.6% 7,100 0.7% 4.0% Eating and Drinking Places 1,700 2,800 4.9% 8,000 9.6% 13,200 4.9% 16,300 2.1% 4.2% Finance, Insurance & Real Estate 1,400 3,100 7.6% 8,100 8.9% 10,300 2.4% 12,700 2.1% 4.1% Services & Misc. 5,400 11,400 7.1% 30,200 9.0% 50,900 5.1% 69,300 3.1% 4.4% Hotels & Lodging Places 600 1,400 8.0% 3,300 8.1% 5,500 5.0% 6,700 2.0% 4.3% Business Services 500 2,000 12.0% 5,100 8.7% 6,800 2.9% 8,800 2.6% 4.6% Health Services 1,000 2,200 7.5% 5,800 9.0% 10,500 5.8% 15,400 3.8% 4.5% Government 22,700 35,600 4.4% 54,900 4.3% 71,000 2.6% 73,700 0.4% 2.7% Federal 15,600 17,100 0.9% 17,700 0.3% 18,700 0.5% 17,000-1.0% 0.2% State 3,900 10,400 9.1% 15,400 3.9% 21,500 3.3% 21,600 0.0% 3.6% Local 3,200 8,100 8.7% 21,800 9.2% 30,800 3.4% 35,100 1.3% 4.3% 1 1999 is an annual average of October 1998 September 1999 Current Employment Statistics program estimates.
An Some Economic Indicators Alaska Snapshot 1960 1970 1980 1990 1999 Total Population (as of July 1) 230,400 308,500 419,800 553,171 622,000 Decade avg. annual population growth3.0% 3.1% 2.8% 2 1.3% Percent Native American population 3 18.8% 16.7% 16.0% 15.6% 4 16.8% Median Age 3 23.3 22.9 26.0 29.3 4 32.4 Uniformed Military Population 32,680 32,400 22,003 23,132 18,684 Percent of population 14.2% 10.5% 5.2% 4.2% 3.0% Income: Average monthly wage $569 $849 $1,931 4 $2,471 $2,786 Alaska personal per capita income $2,815 4 $5,070 $13,875 $21,073 $25,771 U.S. personal per capita income $2,276 4 $4,077 $10,062 $19,156 $26,482 Percent difference from national avg.23.7% 24.4% 37.9% 10.0% -2.7% National ranking 5 4 2 1 9 20 1 Population estimate 1999 2 Average annual rate of growth 1990-1999 3 U.S. Bureau of the Census (April 1) 4 Reflects data for 1998; 1999 not available 5 Ranking does not include Washington D.C. Sources: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis; Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Research and Analysis Section, Demographic Unit 1
Government 25.4% The Employment Pie 1960 Military 36.5% Trade 8.6% Mining 1.2% Fin/Ins/R.E. 1.6% Services 6.0% Manufacturing 6.5% Construction 6.6% Transportation 7.6% Includes wage and salary employment and military; excludes the self-employed. Source: Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Research and Analysis Section Military 26.0% The Employment Pie Government 28.6% Trade 12.3% 1970 Mining 2.4% Fin/Ins/R.E. 2.5% Construction 5.5% Manufacturing 6.3% Transportation 7.3% Services 9.1% Includes wage and salary employment and military; excludes the self-employed. Source: Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Research and Analysis Section
Pipeline Makes Construction Boom In the mid 70s Annual average construction employment 6,890 7,440 7,890 7,840 14,070 25,880 30,240 19,550 12,240 Source: Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Research and Analysis Section And Construction Wages Follow Annual average construction earnings 10,090 10,710 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 $27,936 $39,481 $48,487 $42,782 $35,352 $34,916 $39,907 $19,213 $19,436 $19,615 $18,247 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 Source: Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Research and Analysis Section
Migrants Spurred Growth Until the 90s Net Net Migration Migration Natural increase Natural Increase Changes in population during the past four decades 70,600 119,100 125,200 83,621-521 Outmigration 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s Source: Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Research and Analysis Section
$300 $250 $200 $150 $100 Alaska's King Crab Boom $50 Of the 1970s Annual value of king crab catch in $millions Source: Alaska Department of Fish and Game $0 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980
The Employment Pie 1980 Services 16.2% Trade 15.7% Government 29.4% Military 11.8% Mining 3.6% Manufacturing 4.2% Fin/Ins/R.E. 4.3% Construction 5.7% Transportation 9.2% Includes wage and salary employment and the military; excludes self-employed. Source: Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Research and Analysis Section
2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 North Slope Oil Production FY 1978 1999 Million barrels/day 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 Source: Alaska Department of Revenue, Oil and Gas Audit Division
Dropped in the 90s $4.0 State Budget Soared in 70s and 80s; Alaska general fund budget in $Billions $3.0 $2.0 $1.0 $0.0 61 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 99 State Fiscal Year Source: Alaska Legislative Research
Building Permit Values Topped $1 Billion In Anchorage in 1983 $1,200 $1,000 $Millions $1,001 Residential Commercial $800 $793 $600 $400 $518 $563 $481 $200 $154 $240 $81 $81 $86 $0 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 Source: Municipality of Anchorage, Public Works Department, Building Safety Division
The Employment Pie 1990 Services 19.5% Trade 17.6% Government 27.2% Military 8.9% Fin/Ins/R.E. 3.9% Construction 4.0% Mining 4.4% Manufacturing 6.6% Transportation 7.9% Source: Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Research and Analysis Section
1,200 1,000 800 600 400 200 0 1985 1998 1 Count reaches 1.06 million in 1996 Summer Visitor Arrivals Thousands 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1 Month of May included from 1993-1998; excluded in prior years Source: Alaska Department of Community and Economic Development, Division of Tourism
The Employment Pie 1999 1 Services 23.5% Trade 19.4% Government 25.0% Mining 3.3% Fin/Ins/R.E. 4.3% Construction 4.5% Manufacturing 4.9% Military 6.3% Transportation 8.7% 1 1999 is an annual average of Oct. 1998 through Sept. 1999 Current Employment Statistics program estimates. Source: Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Research and Analysis Section
Other 72.0% (continued on page 26) Oil Industry Employment September 1998 Services 24.7% Other 72.3% Oil and Gas 3.2% Loses share September 1999 Services 25.1% Oil and Gas 2.6% Source: Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Research and Analysis Section
by Place of Work Alaska Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment Total Nonag. Wage & Salary Goods-producing Service-producing Mining Oil & Gas Extraction Construction Manufacturing Durable Goods Lumber & Wood Products Nondurable Goods Seafood Processing Transportation/Comm/Utilities Trucking & Warehousing Water Transportation Air Transportation Communications Electric, Gas & Sanitary Svcs. Trade Wholesale Trade Retail Trade Gen. Merchandise & Apparel Food Stores Eating & Drinking Places Finance/Insurance/Real Estate Services & Misc. Hotels & Lodging Places Business Services Health Services Legal Services Social Services Engineering & Mgmt. Svcs. Government Federal State Local preliminary revised Changes from: 9/99 8/99 9/98 8/99 9/98 289,200 296,000 288,500-6,800 700 41,800 46,800 43,600-5,000-1,800 247,400 249,200 244,900-1,800 2,500 9,000 9,100 11,000-100 -2,000 7,400 7,400 9,300 0-1,900 16,400 17,100 16,200-700 200 16,400 20,600 16,400-4,200 0 3,000 3,200 3,100-200 -100 1,800 1,900 1,900-100 -100 13,400 17,400 13,300-4,000 100 10,700 14,600 10,600-3,900 100 28,300 29,200 27,200-900 1,100 3,100 3,100 3,000 0 100 2,300 2,500 2,300-200 0 9,700 10,000 9,600-300 100 5,300 5,300 4,500 0 800 2,600 2,700 2,600-100 0 60,300 62,000 59,600-1,700 700 9,300 9,700 9,300-400 0 51,000 52,300 50,300-1,300 700 9,800 9,700 9,300 100 500 7,300 7,400 7,400-100 -100 18,000 18,700 17,700-700 300 12,900 13,400 12,800-500 100 72,700 75,000 71,400-2,300 1,300 8,400 9,200 8,100-800 300 9,000 9,400 9,200-400 -200 15,400 15,500 15,100-100 300 1,600 1,600 1,600 0 0 7,800 7,700 7,300 100 500 8,100 8,300 8,200-200 -100 73,200 69,600 73,900 3,600-700 17,300 17,600 17,500-300 -200 21,700 20,100 21,700 1,600 0 34,200 31,900 34,700 2,300-500 Municipality of Anchorage Total Nonag. Wage & Salary Goods-producing Service-producing Mining Oil & Gas Extraction Construction Manufacturing Transportation/Comm/Utilities Air Transportation Communications Trade Wholesale Trade Retail Trade Gen. Merchandise & Apparel Food Stores Eating & Drinking Places Finance/Insurance/Real Estate Services & Misc. Hotels & Lodging Places Business Services Health Services Legal Services Social Services Engineering & Mgmt. Svcs. Government Federal State Local preliminary revised Changes from: 9/99 8/99 9/98 8/99 9/98 134,200 135,000 132,000-800 2,200 13,200 13,600 13,200-400 0 121,000 121,400 118,800-400 2,200 2,400 2,400 2,800 0-400 2,200 2,100 2,500 100-300 8,600 9,000 8,300-400 300 2,200 2,200 2,100 0 100 14,800 15,100 13,600-300 1,200 6,200 6,300 6,000-100 200 3,400 3,400 2,600 0 800 32,300 32,600 31,900-300 400 6,500 6,600 6,500-100 0 25,800 26,000 25,400-200 400 4,800 4,800 4,600 0 200 2,800 2,900 3,000-100 -200 9,600 9,700 9,400-100 200 7,500 7,700 7,500-200 0 38,400 38,900 37,100-500 1,300 2,900 3,100 2,800-200 100 6,500 6,700 6,600-200 -100 8,300 8,300 7,900 0 400 1,200 1,200 1,200 0 0 3,600 3,600 3,500 0 100 5,700 5,700 5,500 0 200 28,000 27,100 28,700 900-700 10,100 10,200 10,100-100 0 8,500 7,800 8,500 700 0 9,400 9,100 10,100 300-700 Notes to Exhibits 2, 3, & 4 Nonagricultural excludes self-employed workers, fishers, domestics, and unpaid family workers as well as agricultural workers. Government category includes employees of public school systems and the University of Alaska. Exhibits 2 & 3 Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Hours and Earnings for Selected Industries Exhibit 4 Prepared in part with funding from the Employment Security Division. Source: Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Research and Analysis Section Average Weekly Earnings Average Weekly Hours Average Hourly Earnings preliminary revised preliminary revised preliminary revised 9/99 8/99 9/98 9/99 8/99 9/98 9/99 8/99 9/98 Mining Construction Manufacturing Seafood Processing Transportation/Comm/Utilities Trade Wholesale Trade Retail Trade Finance/Insurance/Real Estate $1,539.53 $1,439.55 $1,387.04 55.2 54.2 48.6 $27.89 $26.56 $28.54 1,191.52 1,313.21 1,103.65 42.6 46.8 41.6 27.97 28.06 26.53 452.14 678.00 621.00 34.7 58.6 57.5 13.03 11.57 10.80 329.21 643.63 557.15 31.9 63.6 61.7 10.32 10.12 9.03 681.03 692.41 690.82 34.5 34.5 35.3 19.74 20.07 19.57 429.02 449.88 429.94 32.8 34.5 33.8 13.08 13.04 12.72 617.25 655.10 630.37 37.5 38.4 37.3 16.46 17.06 16.90 398.04 413.37 394.08 32.1 33.8 33.2 12.40 12.23 11.87 598.75 637.14 530.11 36.2 37.0 35.2 16.54 17.22 15.06 Average hours and earnings estimates are based on data for full-time and part-time production workers (manufacturing) and nonsupervisory workers (nonmanufacturing). Averages are for gross earnings and hours paid, including overtime pay and hours. Benchmark: March 1998 Source: Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Research and Analysis Section
Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment by Place of Work Fairbanks preliminary revised Changes from: North Star Borough 9/99 8/99 9/98 8/99 9/98 Total Nonag. Wage & Salary Goods-producing Service-producing Mining Construction Manufacturing Transportation/Comm/Utilities Trucking & Warehousing Air Transportation Communications Trade Wholesale Trade Retail Trade Gen. Merchandise & Apparel Food Stores Eating & Drinking Places Finance/Insurance/Real Estate Services & Misc. Hotels & Lodging Places Health Services Government Federal State Local Southeast Region Total Nonag. Wage & Salary Goods-producing Service-producing Mining Construction Manufacturing Durable Goods Lumber & Wood Products Nondurable Goods Seafood Processing Transportation/Comm/Utilities Trade Wholesale Trade Retail Trade Food Stores Finance/Insurance/Real Estate Services & Misc. Health Services Government Federal State Local Northern Region Total Nonag. Wage & Salary Goods-producing Service-producing Mining Oil & Gas Extraction Government Federal State Local 34,200 34,250 33,950-50 250 3,950 3,950 3,900 0 50 30,250 30,300 30,050-50 200 950 900 1,000 50-50 2,350 2,400 2,250-50 100 650 650 650 0 0 3,200 3,250 3,150-50 50 600 650 650-50 -50 800 800 750 0 50 450 450 450 0 0 7,100 7,200 7,100-100 0 950 950 900 0 50 6,150 6,250 6,200-100 -50 1,150 1,200 1,200-50 -50 750 750 750 0 0 2,150 2,200 2,150-50 0 1,100 1,150 1,100-50 0 8,550 8,900 8,350-350 200 950 1,150 950-200 0 2,000 2,000 1,850 0 150 10,300 9,800 10,350 500-50 3,300 3,350 3,350-50 -50 4,250 3,900 4,250 350 0 2,750 2,550 2,750 200 0 39,250 40,300 39,100-1,050 150 6,550 7,450 6,450-900 100 32,700 32,850 32,650-150 50 350 350 350 0 0 1,850 1,900 1,850-50 0 4,350 5,200 4,250-850 100 1,500 1,550 1,550-50 -50 1,300 1,350 1,350-50 -50 2,850 3,650 2,700-800 150 2,500 3,300 2,350-800 150 3,500 3,650 3,400-150 100 7,000 7,400 7,050-400 -50 650 700 600-50 50 6,350 6,700 6,450-350 -100 1,300 1,350 1,400-50 -100 1,600 1,600 1,650 0-50 8,200 8,400 8,100-200 100 1,650 1,650 1,650 0 0 12,400 11,800 12,450 600-50 1,850 1,950 1,900-100 -50 5,300 5,000 5,350 300-50 5,250 4,850 5,200 400 50 14,800 14,800 16,300 0-1,500 4,650 4,800 5,950-150 -1,300 10,150 10,000 10,350 150-200 4,150 4,200 5,250-50 -1,100 3,700 3,750 4,800-50 -1,100 4,450 4,250 4,600 200-150 150 200 200-50 -50 300 300 350 0-50 4,000 3,750 4,050 250-50 preliminary revised Changes from: Interior Region 9/99 8/99 9/98 8/99 9/98 Total Nonag. Wage & Salary Goods-producing Service-producing Mining Construction Manufacturing Transportation/Comm/Utilities Trade Finance/Insurance/Real Estate Services & Misc. Hotels & Lodging Places Government Federal State Local Anchorage/Mat-Su Region Total Nonag. Wage & Salary Goods-producing Service-producing Mining Construction Manufacturing Transportation/Comm/Utilities Trade Finance/Insurance/Real Estate Services & Misc. Government Federal State Local Southwest Region Total Nonag. Wage & Salary Goods-producing Service-producing Seafood Processing Government Federal State Local Gulf Coast Region Total Nonag. Wage & Salary Goods-producing Service-producing Mining Oil & Gas Extraction Construction Manufacturing Seafood Processing Transportation/Comm/Utilities Trade Wholesale Trade Retail Trade Eating & Drinking Places Finance/Insurance/Real Estate Services & Misc. Health Services Government Federal State Local 40,800 41,200 40,650-400 150 4,250 4,300 4,250-50 0 36,550 36,900 36,400-350 150 1,100 1,100 1,200 0-100 2,450 2,500 2,350-50 100 700 700 700 0 0 4,150 4,200 4,100-50 50 8,550 9,100 8,550-550 0 1,200 1,250 1,200-50 0 10,000 10,500 9,800-500 200 1,650 1,850 1,650-200 0 12,650 11,850 12,750 800-100 3,900 4,000 4,000-100 -100 4,500 4,150 4,550 350-50 4,250 3,700 4,200 550 50 147,900 148,700 144,750-800 3,150 14,600 15,100 14,550-500 50 133,300 133,600 130,200-300 3,100 2,450 2,400 2,800 50-350 9,850 10,300 9,500-450 350 2,300 2,400 2,250-100 50 15,900 16,100 14,800-200 1,100 36,000 35,950 35,000 50 1,000 8,100 8,250 8,000-150 100 42,400 43,050 40,750-650 1,650 30,900 30,250 31,650 650-750 10,250 10,350 10,250-100 0 9,400 8,650 9,350 750 50 11,250 11,250 12,050 0-800 17,600 18,000 17,300-400 300 4,350 5,250 4,200-900 150 13,250 12,750 13,100 500 150 4,100 5,000 3,950-900 150 5,850 5,150 5,700 700 150 350 350 350 0 0 500 500 500 0 0 5,000 4,300 4,850 700 150 29,900 32,650 30,250-2,750-350 7,600 9,800 8,050-2,200-450 22,300 22,850 22,200-550 100 1,000 1,050 1,400-50 -400 1,000 1,050 1,400-50 -400 1,600 1,650 1,600-50 0 5,000 7,100 5,050-2,100-50 4,000 6,050 4,100-2,050-100 2,650 2,800 2,650-150 0 6,050 6,450 5,950-400 100 750 850 750-100 0 5,300 5,600 5,200-300 100 1,950 2,100 1,950-150 0 750 800 750-50 0 6,000 6,450 6,000-450 0 1,100 1,100 1,100 0 0 6,850 6,350 6,850 500 0 750 800 750-50 0 1,600 1,500 1,650 100-50 4,500 4,050 4,450 450 50
Unemployment Rates by Region and Census Area Not Seasonally Adjusted United States Alaska Statewide Anch/Mat-Su Region Municipality of Anchorage Mat-Su Borough Gulf Coast Region Kenai Peninsula Borough Kodiak Island Borough Valdez-Cordova Interior Region Denali Borough Fairbanks North Star Borough Southeast Fairbanks Yukon-Koyukuk Northern Region Nome North Slope Borough Northwest Arctic Borough Southeast Region Haines Borough Juneau Borough Ketchikan Gateway Borough Prince of Wales-Outer Ketchikan Sitka Borough Skagway-Hoonah-Angoon Wrangell-Petersburg Yakutat Borough Southwest Region Aleutians East Borough Aleutians West Bethel Bristol Bay Borough Dillingham Lake & Peninsula Borough Wade Hampton Seasonally Adjusted United States Alaska Statewide Percent Unemployed preliminary revised 9/99 8/99 9/98 4.1 4.2 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.6 3.9 4.0 3.8 3.5 3.6 3.5 5.5 6.0 5.2 6.5 5.9 6.2 7.9 7.1 7.2 3.6 3.3 3.8 5.0 4.1 5.1 4.3 4.6 4.7 4.3 2.5 2.2 4.0 4.2 4.5 6.7 6.5 7.1 10.0 10.7 9.6 9.0 9.8 7.8 8.1 10.0 8.2 7.7 7.6 5.9 12.5 12.8 10.4 4.0 4.1 4.5 3.0 4.2 5.4 3.9 3.9 4.3 4.5 4.0 4.4 5.8 7.1 6.8 3.3 3.6 3.9 2.6 3.7 3.7 4.3 3.7 4.6 6.2 5.0 6.5 6.4 7.4 6.8 1.5 1.3 1.6 3.4 4.0 4.8 7.9 8.8 8.0 3.4 2.8 4.3 5.5 6.4 5.7 3.1 6.7 3.1 11.6 14.4 12.2 4.2 4.2 4.5 5.6 6.1 5.6 March 1998 Benchmark Comparisons between different time periods are not as meaningful as other time series produced by Research and Analysis. The official definition of unemployment currently in place excludes anyone who has not made an active attempt to find work in the four-week period up to and including the week that includes the 12th of the reference month. Due to the scarcity of employment opportunities in rural Alaska, many individuals do not meet the official definition of unemployed because they have not conducted an active job search. They are considered not in the labor force. (continued from page 23) Source: Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Research and Analysis Section
The Alaska Job Center Network (AJCN) offers services to employers through the AJCN Employer Connection web page www.jobs.state.ak.us/employer.htm