Nationally, downsizing in the labor force helped to equalize
employment losses, maintaining unemployment at 10.0 percent in December.
Reports from Maryland ’s establishment survey showed that
employers cut about 8,700 jobs from business payrolls during December.
Losses were spread across a number of industry sectors, with some
of the largest private sector reductions occurring in retail trade,
real estate, accommodations, construction and administrative support.
While, by most accounts, the worst of the economic downturn appears
to be behind us, the market is still lacking in the energy needed
to move forward. Stimulus funding has helped to shore up the economy
somewhat; but the benefits haven’t been substantial enough
to encourage participation from businesses and consumers.
Employment declines were reported across the state during December
-- declines which caused non-seasonally adjusted unemployment
rates to climb higher in fourteen of the state’s local jurisdictions.
Garrett and Worcester were the jurisdictions experiencing the
largest upturns, with unemployment rates in these counties rising
by more than a full percentage point. Unemployment rates in Baltimore
City , Dorchester and Worcester counties remained at double-digits
levels in December, with Worcester ’s rate the statewide high at 16.2 percent.
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