Unemployment Numbers Don't Reflect Winter Downturn

Numbers are adjusted for seasons

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By Lacie Grosvold

Story Created: Nov 27, 2012 at 6:19 PM AKDT

Story Updated: Nov 27, 2012 at 6:23 PM AKDT

ANCHORAGE - Thanks to seasonal industries, more Alaskans are out of work in the winter than in the summer, but you won't see this reflected in the state's unemployment numbers.

That's because the numbers are adjusted for the seasons. This makes it easier to compare the data to national numbers. Alaska's unemployment in October was 7.1 percent, but it would have been higher if seasonal job loss were considered.

Alyssa Shanks, an economist with the State of Alaska, said that means job seekers should keep in mind that when looking for winter work, they might have more competition than they thought.

"If you're trying to get a job, the seasonal rate might not matter to you. It's more the unadjusted rate because you want to know how many people you're competing against," she said.

 

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