Maryland’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was little changed
over-the-month, rising by 0.1 of a percentage point, from 4.5
percent in August to 4.6 percent in September according to
Maryland’s Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.
Maryland’s unemployment rate continued to compare favorably
against that of the nation which held steady at 6.1 percent over-the-month.
While, on the surface, labor market conditions were relatively low key
during September, the market continued to tighten as evidenced by
the number of jobseekers who opted to discontinue their search – a
movement countering the trend of prior years.
During September, the number of jobs on Maryland’s business payrolls fell
by an estimated 1,000 jobs, a decline prompted primarily by
reductions in the public sector and by further cuts in the
manufacturing and construction industries. The impact of these
reductions was, however, minimized by hiring in professional and
business services and education and health services where a combined
total of 2,600 jobs were added in September.
Despite September’s payroll performance, Maryland’s economy has
continued to generate jobs since last year. While the rate of job
generation has slackened, nearly 29,000 jobs have been added to
Maryland’s market since last September, an upturn countering the
national movement where losses of nearly 520,000 jobs have been
reported over the past year.
Locally, the movements in non-seasonally adjusted
unemployment rates were influenced by downsizing in seasonal
employment and the withdrawal of summer workers from the job market.
During September, unemployment rates across the state ranged from a
low of 3.3 percent shared by Howard and Montgomery counties to a
high of 7.1 percent reported for Baltimore City residents. The
largest over-the-month unemployment movement occurred in Worcester
County where seasonal reductions in Ocean City’s tourism-related
businesses contributed to rising unemployment.
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