As reported by the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (DLLR), the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently released preliminary survey data indicating that Maryland created 9,700 jobs in August. As described by Maryland Labor Secretary Leonard Howie,
“The O’Malley-Brown Administration is making better choices that are delivering better results for Maryland’s middle class families. At the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, every choice we make is about creating jobs, preparing Marylanders to fill those jobs and expanding opportunity,” said Secretary Howie. “As a result, we’ve now recovered all the jobs lost during the recession.”
The Department of Labor’s report also includes revised data from the previous month’s report. This month’s report confirmed Maryland’s July estimate of a 7.1% unemployment rate, but raised to number of jobs lost in July to 9,700, from 9,200. In August, Maryland’s preliminary unemployment rate decreased to 7.0 percent and continues to remain below the national rate.
This August posted the highest number of private sector jobs for the month since 2007. The Professional & Business Services sector was the top growth sector in August, adding 3,600 jobs. The administrative & support services subsector gained 2,200 jobs, and the professional, scientific & technical services subsector added 1,600 jobs. The Education, Health Care & Social Assistance sector gained 1,200 jobs.
For more information, see the full press release from DLLR and additional data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, including quarterly data on county employment rates. Also, see our previous coverage on Conduit Street: Maryland Jobs Decline, Likely Result of Sequestration.
