Pennsylvania's jobless rate ticked back down in the last two months, as the labor force shrank but a higher proportion of people reported working.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday that Pennsylvania's jobless rate dropped to 7.5 percent in October from 7.7 percent in August.
Friday's report covered two months because the federal government's 16-day shutdown delayed September's official employment figures by four weeks.
Pennsylvania had hit its post-recession low of 7.5 percent in May before the rate rose again in August. The national unemployment rate was 7.3 percent in August.
Over the last two months, the estimated number of people working or seeking work slid by 41,000 to below 6.5 million. The number of employed dropped by almost 25,000 while the number of unemployed dropped by 16,000.
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