BOSTON – The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development today reported that the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ preliminary March 2013 jobs estimates show that Massachusetts lost 5,500 jobs over the month and the total unemployment rate edged down to 6.4 percent from the 6.5 percent rate in February.
Education and Health Services and Leisure and Hospitality added jobs in March. In the first three months of 2013, Massachusetts added 12,600 jobs. Over the year, Massachusetts added 40,300 jobs, 37,300 of which were in the private sector.
Over the year, the unemployment rate was down 0.2 of a percentage point from the March 2012 rate of 6.6 percent. Revised numbers from the BLS estimate Massachusetts lost 800 jobs in February.
March 2013 Employment Overview
Education and Health Services added 2,200 (+0.3%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Education and Health Services gained 14,100 (+2.1%) jobs.
Leisure and Hospitality gained 300 (+0.1%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Leisure and Hospitality added 7,600 jobs (+2.3%).
Professional, Scientific, and Business Services lost 3,400 (-0.7%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Professional, Scientific, and Business Services added 10,700 (+2.2%) jobs.
Other Services lost 1,600 (-1.3%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Other Services added 1,800 (+1.5%) jobs.
Financial Activities lost 1,200 (-0.6%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Financial Activities shed 200 (-0.1%) jobs.
Construction lost 1,100 (-0.9%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Construction added 1,600 (+1.4%) jobs.
Manufacturing lost 100 jobs (0.0%) over the month. Over the year, Manufacturing lost 3,200 (-1.3%) jobs.
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities lost 100 (0.0%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 3,100 (+0.6%) jobs.
Information lost 100 (-0.1%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Information gained 1,900 (+2.2%) jobs.
Government lost 400 (-0.1%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Government gained 3,000 (+0.7%) jobs.
Labor Force Overview
The March 2013 estimates show 3,247,300 Massachusetts residents were employed and 223,400 were unemployed, for a total labor force of 3,470,700. The March labor force decreased by 6,100 from 3,476,800 in February 2013, as 2,900 fewer residents were employed and 3,200 fewer residents were unemployed over the month. The labor force was an estimated 6,800 below the 3,477,500 March 2012 estimate, with 600 more residents employed and 7,400 fewer residents unemployed.
The unemployment rate is based on a monthly sample of households. The job estimates are derived from a monthly sample survey of employers. As a result, the two statistics may exhibit different monthly trends.
