According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Rhode Island’s unemployment rate continued to surpass the national jobless percentage of 9.4 in May. During the month, the state’s unemployment rate climbed a full point from 11.1 percent to 12.1 percent. This means that the Rhode Island job market became significantly more competitive for those currently out of work.

Rhode Island’s limited economy and small size have caused it to be hit harder by the national recession than many other areas. Over the course of the last 12 months the state’s unemployment rate has climbed 4.7 percent from May 2008’s 7.4 percent. Despite this, Rhode Island’s situation was not the worst in the country. Michigan had a jobless rate of 14.1 percent and Oregon’s unemployment rate was 12.4 percent.

May marked the 15th consecutive month that non-farm Rhode Island jobs declined. During the month employers did away with a total of 1,100 jobs. This brought the state’s payrolls down to 463,500 positions, according to the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT).

This job decline means that the number of people looking for work increased to 68,500 individuals, which is 5,800 more unemployed residents than there were in April. Altogether 26,600 more people are jobless in Rhode Island than in May of 2008. Currently 497,600 residents have jobs in the state.

The government sector lost 500 jobs last month. According to the DLT, temporary Census Bureau workers being hired off after they finished their work for the 2010 survey caused this decline.

The state’s professional and business services lost 300 jobs in May and the catch-all category of “other services” saw a decline of 200 positions. Other sectors that saw a loss of 100 jobs each included: healthcare and educational services, information, transportation and utilities, manufacturing and leisure.

Not all of Rhode Island’s industries lost positions during the month. Accommodations and food services gained 500 positions, according to the DLT. The construction sector, which has been suffering form the housing market crisis, saw the creation of 300 positions.

Two areas of employment in the state, financial activities and natural resources and mining, remained steady for the month.

The year-over-year job decline was most notable in the mining and logging sector, according to the BLS. Despite not losing jobs in May, this area of employment has seen a 33.3 percent decline over the course of the last 12 months. Other industries to post a large than 10 percent decline over the course of the year included construction, with a 12.1 percent loss, and manufacturing, which lost 10.1 percent of its positions.

Finding jobs in Rhode Island has become more difficult over the last year. During March approximately 10.5 percent of the state’s population was without work. This is particularly significant when one considers that a year ago only 6.8 percent of Rhode Islanders were unable to find jobs.

Although the state’s unemployment rate did not rise during the month of March, staying stable at 10.5 percent for the second month, this was the first time in over a year that the number of people without work in Rhode Island didn’t increase. Since there are currently so many people in the state without jobs, the state Governor’s Office of Economic Recovery and Reinvestment and the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training recently announced the extension of unemployment benefits.

According to a recent press release, 2,600 individual who are currently without Rhode Island jobs who were previously determined ineligible for extended benefits will now be collecting unemployment. Through an option in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act the state has been able to offer this relieve to these residents.

This extension will continue until January 1st of next year, a fact that those effected by will be notified about through the mail. The American Recover and Reinvestment Act will allow the effected Rhode Islanders to receive their extended benefits through the federal unemployment insurance trust fund. Payments will begin to be sent out sometime this week and will be retroactive back through February 22nd of this year until present.

“By expanding the window of eligibility for State Extended Benefits, we can provide much needed assistance to many long-term unemployed who are struggling to find jobs in this most difficult economy.” Governor Donald L. Carcieri said in the release.

Those who will be receiving the benefits must continue to search for full-time employment. According to the press release these individuals will have to fill out a work search form that shows they have had three work search contacts every week. The form will then have to be submitted to the department and authenticated before the benefits can be issued through the state’s automated TeleServe system.