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More Marylanders working in May than in April despite decline in payroll jobs
BALTIMORE, MD (July 22, 2011) - Maryland's unemployment rate held steady at 6.8 percent in
May according to data released today by the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Maryland's rate is currently 2.3 percentage points below the national average (9.1 percent) and
among the best in the country. Compared to April, 1,900 additional Marylanders were working.
Since January, more than 26,000 Marylanders have started working - the strongest employment
growth to start a year since 1996.
The Federal government added 1,400 jobs in Maryland, a sign that job growth generated by
Base Realignment and Closure is picking up before the September 2011 deadline. Despite
positive growth in the state's labor force, Maryland lost more than 13,000 payroll jobs
in May, including 15,300 private sector jobs.
"Like many states across the country, Maryland is still on a path to economic recovery.
There will be strong months and soft months along the way, but we must stay focused on our
efforts to build a workforce that is ready to compete in the New Economy," said Maryland
Labor Secretary Alexander M. Sanchez. "Because of the investments the O'Malley-Brown
administration has made in our human capital and because of the tough choices we made
to protect our progress during the national economic downturn, Maryland is in a strong
position to recovery more quickly, more sustainably and more permanently than most other states."
May 2011 was the 16th straight month that the state's unemployment rate has improved
or held steady. Since reaching a high of 7.7 percent in January 2010, Maryland's
unemployment rate has dropped 0.9 percentage points.
he Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation
protects and empowers Marylanders by safeguarding
workers, protecting consumers, providing a safety net
and cultivating a thriving workforce that can meet the
demands of Maryland’s dynamic economy. Follow DLLR on Twitter
(@MD_DLLR) and Facebook.
Employment Situation
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