Employment picture good

 
Alexis Barker
NLJ Reporter
 
Jobs and salaries in Weston County continued to grow through the third quarter of 2018, according to a May 10 report from the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research and Planning. 
“This report, which focuses on changes in the number of jobs between third quarter 2017 and third quarter 2018, is based on employers’ quarterly unemployment tax filings,” the report says. “It provides details on job growth and decline by industry and county.” 
According to the report, employment grew in 14 counties, Weston County being one of them, and declined in nine counties. Total payroll for employees rose in all 23 counties in the state, and weekly wages decreased in only one county. 
Weston County experienced an increase in average monthly employment, total wages and average weekly wages. 
The report states that jobs in the county increased by 3.1 percent, or 68 jobs from the second quarter of 2018 to the same period in 2018. Total wages increased by 9.6 percent or $1,925,368, and the average weekly wage grew by 6.3 percent or $44. 
The report shows Weston County’s total wages reached $21,889,888 in the third quarter of 2018, down from $24,046,385 in the second quarter of 2018. The average weekly wage in the county totaled $748 for the third quarter of 2018, down from $806 in the second quarter. 
A more detailed report, breaking down individual sectors in Weston County, shows that employment in private business rose by 3.3 percent, while local government jobs increased by 7.4 percent. Both federal and state government jobs in the county declined at 12 percent and 6.1 percent respectively. 
The most significant changes in the private sector occurred in the mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction – a 35.5 percent increase, or 51 jobs added. Support activities for mining had a 70.6 percent increase, or 69 jobs added. 
This is the second quarter in a row in 2018 that mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction saw the largest increases in Weston County. 
Statewide, mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction was the largest sector for job gains at 875 jobs, or 4.4 percent. 
The biggest decline, for the second quarter in a row, according to the report, occurred in real estate, rental and leasing, with a decrease of six employees, or 48.6 percent. 
Total wages and average weekly wages all saw increases across all four ownership sectors. The largest of these increases occurred in the private sector with a total wage increase of 11.3 percent, or $1,460,257, with the average weekly wages growing by 7.8 percent, or $52. 
Federal employees saw the largest weekly wage increase at 18.2 percent, or $193, with
a total wage increase of 4 percent, or $35,655. State employees in Weston County saw a total wage increase of 2.2 percent, or $40,481, with weekly wages increasing by 8.8 percent, or $84. Local government employees saw total wages increase by 8.9 percent, or $388,975, and weekly wages increase by 1.4 percent,
or $10. 
Statewide, the average monthly employment grew 0.8 percent, or by 2,311 jobs from the second quarter of 2017 to the second quarter of 2018. Total wages in the state grew by 5.1 percent, or $159,639,321, and the average weekly wages grew by 4.2 percent, or $37. 
Total wages statewide, for the third quarter of 2018, totaled $3,278,121,473, while the average weekly wages for the state totaled $904. 
County level employment and wages data for the fourth quarter of 2018 are scheduled to be released on Aug. 16.