According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a 1.1 percent decrease in jobs in Maryland drove the state’s unemployment rate up 0.1 percent in September to 4.6 percent. This made Maryland one of 21 states that saw an increase in joblessness.
Despite the small rise, the Maryland continues to have a better job market than most of the nation. This is, of course, in part to many of the government jobs in the area.
Still, more than 138,000 Maryland residents were without work in September. According the Baltimore Sun, this is a 33 percent rise since 2008 began. Unemployment in the state has been getting higher since June of this year, when it hit 4 percent.
Thankfully it remains significantly below the country’s unemployment rate, which remained at 6.1 percent during September, but rose to 6.5 percent in October. Only last year, the national joblessness percentage was only 4.7 percent. Maryland’s unemployment statistics for last month have yet to be released, but if the last three months are any indicator, then the state will see another rise in unemployment.
Employment in the education and health services sector saw the largest job gains in Maryland. This industry has been rather well throughout the country, despite widespread economic problems, because of the necessity of many of its services. In Maryland, positions in this area of employment increased by 2.7 percent when compared to last September.
Other large gains in jobs in Maryland occurred in professional and business services and the catch-all category of “other services”.
During the same time, manufacturing and construction jobs showed signs that they are following the national, as employment in these sectors continued to decline.
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