Unemployment up slightly as employment growth slows

The unemployment rate rose slightly, up to 6.8 percent in the June 2012 quarter from 6.7 percent in the March quarter, Statistics New Zealand said today.

“Employment growth slowed in the year to June 2012, with 2,000 fewer people in work in the June quarter,” industry and labour statistics manager Diane Ramsay said.

There were 5,000 fewer men in employment in the June 2012 quarter, while 3,000 more women were employed. The overall fall in employment, combined with a growing working-age population, resulted in a decrease in the employment rate of 0.3 percentage points, falling to 63.8 percent.

Unemployment rose slightly, up 2,000 for the quarter. The rise was split evenly between men and women.

While the labour force (employed and unemployed) remained flat, the number of people not in the labour force rose for the June quarter. Behind the rise was an increase in the number of men not in the labour force, while the number of women not in the labour force remained unchanged.

The Household Labour Force Survey results are based on a representative sample of 15,000 households throughout New Zealand. The survey is designed to produce reliable estimates of the numbers of people employed, unemployed, and not in the labour force.

See also:
Household Labour Force Survey: June 2012 quarter  –  Information release