NEW: Massachusetts Adds 6,600 Jobs in February
GoLocalProv Business Team
NEW: Massachusetts Adds 6,600 Jobs in February
The MA announcement comes one day after Rhode Island announced the loss of 600 jobs in February.
RI has lost jobs in four straight months.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST"The Commonwealth continues to experience job and labor force growth alongside an unemployment rate that has remained below 4% for 34 consecutive months. Our workforce development agencies remain committed to ensuring that all regions and communities in Massachusetts can better access our high demand job categories during this period of strong economic growth,” Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Rosalin Acosta said.
MA Adds Jobs
From February 2018 to February 2019, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates Massachusetts added 20,300 jobs.
Over the month, the private sector added 5,600 jobs as gains occurred in Education and Health Services; Professional, Scientific, and Business Services; Leisure and Hospitality; Trade, Transportation, and Utilities; Other Services; Financial Activities; and Construction.
Manufacturing lost jobs over the month while the jobs level in Information remained unchanged.
Unemployment Rate Goes Down
The February unemployment rate was eight-tenths of a percentage point lower than the national rate of 3.8 percent reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The labor force increased by 3,100 from 3,840,500 in January, as 6,200 more residents were employed and 3,100 fewer residents were unemployed over the month.
Since February of 2018, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped six-tenths of a percentage point.
The state’s labor force participation rate increased one-tenth of a percentage point to 68.0 percent.
Compared to February 2018, the labor force participation rate is up 1.0 percentage point.
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