Department of Labor Releases February Unemployment Report
BALTIMORE (March 23, 2018) – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) today released state jobs and unemployment data. Though Maryland jobs decreased by 3,200 in February, total and private employment are up over-the-year at 4,000 and 5,500 jobs, respectively. Further, January’s preliminary jobs estimate as reported by BLS was revised upward by 1,900 jobs, to a gain of 14,800 jobs.
Last month, 1,700 jobs were gained in the Trade, Transportation, and Utilities sector: 1,500 jobs in the Retail Trade subsector, and 300 jobs in the Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities subsector. (Wholesale Trade decreased by 100 jobs.) Mining, Logging, and Construction increased by 1,500 jobs, while the Manufacturing sector increased by 900 jobs.
Sectors experiencing decline include Professional and Business Services, Other Services, Leisure and Hospitality, Financial Activities, Education and Health Services, and Information. Of these, Professional and Business Services experienced the largest decline, with a decrease of 4,800 jobs across the Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services subsector (3,700 jobs) and the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services subsector (1,100 jobs). Historically, this sector has exhibited over-the-month declines in six of the past ten years.
A review of the year-to-year data shows a decrease in the total number of unemployment insurance claims while the total number of Maryland employers paying into the employee tax system has increased. Between September 2017 and today, Maryland has added 1,500 new employers.
In the metropolitan statistical areas, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson gained the most jobs over-the-month (up 1,900). Over-the-year, this same statistical area has gained 13,600 jobs. Following was the Calvert-Charles-Prince George’s Metropolitan Statistical Area, which gained 1,100 jobs over-the-month, a growth of 0.3 percent.
Maryland’s unemployment rate is currently 4.2 percent. Further, the state’s preliminary jobs estimate for December was revised upward by BLS by 9,200 jobs.
About the Maryland Department of Labor
The Maryland Department of Labor is committed to safeguarding and protecting Marylanders. We're proud to support the economic stability of the state by providing businesses, the workforce, and the consuming public with high-quality, customer-focused regulatory, employment, and training services. For updates and information, follow the Maryland Department of Labor on Twitter (@MD_Labor), Facebook and visit our website.
Note: Data is spidered in on the DLLR website directly from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) using Datazoa and a slight lag may exist as the database is refreshed.
For immediate access to this month's jobs data please go to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) website.
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