Mass unemployment down to 5.5 percent

BOSTON – The Mass. Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development last week said that the state added 3,700 jobs in June, edging the total unemployment down 0.1 of a percentage point to 5.5 percent from the May rate.
According to a statement, the rate is the lowest since August 2008. The state currently has a total of 3,409,500 jobs
Since June 2013, Massachusetts has added a net of 48,900 jobs; with 49,400 jobs added in the private sector and 500 jobs lost in the public sector. The unemployment rate fell 1.6 percentage points from the June 2013 rate of 7.1 percent.
The private sectors that gained jobs included education and health services, which gained 6,000 jobs from May. The trade, transportation and utilities sector added 900 jobs over the month.
Several sectors lost jobs over the month, including: manufacturing, construction, hospitality, information services and professional services.
The June 2014 estimates show 3,310,500 Massachusetts residents were employed and 191,000 were unemployed, for a total labor force of 3,501,500. The June labor force decreased by 500 from 3,502,000 in May. •

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