Corridor unemployment rates fall

The Corridor's retail sector resumed hiring in March, ending three months of decline and helping the unemployment rates in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City rebound from February.

Iowa Workforce Development reported the seasonally adjusted jobless rate for Cedar Rapids fell to 4.4 percent last month from 4.6 percent in February. The unemployment rate was 4.3 percent in March 2015.

The Cedar Rapids metropolitan statistical area added 1,200 nonfarm jobs from February, bringing employment to 142,900. Total nonfarm employment in the metro area is 800 above a year ago.

Retailers added 200 jobs in March, contributing to a gain of 400 hires in trade, transportation and warehousing. Mining and construction realized a gain of 200 jobs and manufacturing added 100 jobs following three months with no change in the employment level.

The financial sector also added 100 jobs.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Iowa City dropped to 2.8 percent in March from 3.1 percent in February. The jobless rate was 2.7 percent in March 2015.

Nonfarm employment in the Iowa City metropolitan statistical area is up 500 jobs from February, boosted by a gain of 200 jobs in trade, transportation and warehousing, half of which were in retail trade, and an additional 200 jobs in leisure and hospitality.

Weakness in manufacturing and other industry sectors led to an uptick in Iowa's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in March, according to Iowa Workforce Development.

The state's jobless rate was 3.8 percent last month, up from 3.7 percent in February. Iowa's unemployment rate was 3.7 percent in March 2015.

The number of unemployed Iowans increased to 65,300 in March from 63,200 in February. The estimate is 2,400 higher than the year ago level of 62,900.

A total of 1,649,400 Iowans were working in March, 1,600 fewer than in February and 12,100 higher than a year ago.