The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development today reported that the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ preliminary May 2012 estimates show that Massachusetts added 7,500 jobs over the month, for a total of 3,249,600 jobs. The May job gain follows a revised 1,700 job gain in April. The total unemployment rate dropped to 6.0 percent, 0.3 of a percentage point below the April rate of 6.3 percent and well below the national rate of 8.2 percent.
The private sector added 6,700 jobs in May. Six of the ten private sectors added jobs in May with the largest gain in Professional, Scientific, and Business Services followed by gains in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities; Other Services; Information; Education and Health Services; and Manufacturing.
Year to date, Massachusetts added 37,800 jobs; the private sector added 39,300 jobs. Over the year, the Bay State added 37,100 jobs; the private sector added 40,900 jobs.
Employment Overview
Professional, Scientific, and Business Services added 6,000 (+1.2%) jobs over the month, the sector’s eleventh monthly gain. Over the year, the sector added 26,000 (+5.5%) jobs due mostly to growth in Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, which added 13,700 (+5.4%) jobs. Administrative, Support, and Waste Management Services gained 11,700 (+7.3%) jobs over the year.
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 2,700 (+0.5%) jobs over the month with gains in all three components. Year to date, the sector added 9,700 (+1.8%) jobs. Over the year, the sector added 13,800 (+2.5%) jobs with most of the growth in Retail Trade which gained 9,200 (+2.7%) jobs.
Other Services added 1,100 (+0.9%) jobs over the month. Over the year, the sector gained 3,500 (+2.9%) jobs.
Information gained 700 (+0.8%) jobs over the month. Over the year, the sector added 500 (+0.6%) jobs.
Education and Health Services added 200 (0.0%) jobs over the month. Health Care and Social Assistance gained 1,000 (+0.2%) jobs and Educational Services lost 800 (-0.5%) jobs. Over the year, Education and Health Services added 1,300 (+0.2%) jobs.
Manufacturing added 100 (0.0%) jobs over the month as the gain in Durable Goods out weighed the loss in Non-Durable Goods. Over the year Manufacturing has added 300 (+0.1%) jobs.
Financial Activities jobs remain unchanged over the month. Over the year, the sector has lost 2,200 (-1.1%) jobs.
Leisure and Hospitality lost 2,300 (-0.7%) jobs over the month as Accommodation and Food Services and Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation posted job losses. Over the year, Leisure and Hospitality added 2,500 (+0.8%) jobs due to gains in Accommodation and Food Services.
Construction lost 1,700 (-1.6%) jobs over the month. Over the year, the sector lost 4,700 (-4.3%) jobs.
Mining and Logging employment lost 100 (-9.1%) jobs both over the month and over the year.
Government gained 800 (+0.2%) jobs over the month. State Government gained 1,800 (+1.5%) jobs and Local Government added 100 (0.0%) jobs. Federal government posted a 1,100 (-2.3%) loss over the month. Over the year, Government lost 3,800 (-0.9%) jobs.
Labor Force Overview
The May 2012 estimates show 3,249,500 Massachusetts residents were employed and 209,200 were unemployed, for a total labor force of 3,458,700. Over the month, 6,900 fewer residents were unemployed and 10,600 more residents were employed. At 3,249,500, the number of employed residents is the highest since November 2008. Since the unemployment rate peaked at 8.7 percent in October 2009, there are 89,000 more residents employed and 91,800 fewer residents unemployed. Totals may not sum exactly due to rounding.
The unemployment rate is based on a monthly sample of households. The job estimates are derived from a monthly sample survey of employers.
NOTES:
Beginning with the March 2011 estimates, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has assumed responsibility for the production of the CES State and sub-state jobs estimates. BLS has also implemented methodological changes which may increase the month to month variability of the estimates. See Changes to procedures for producing Current Employment Statistics (CES) State estimates.
Local area unemployment statistics for May 2012 will be released on Tuesday, June 19, 2012. The June 2012 unemployment rate and labor force data for Massachusetts will be released on Thursday, July 19, 2012. See Revised Media Advisory for a complete list of release dates.
Detailed labor market information is available atwww.mass.gov/lmi.
