Herald Writer
The state continued to add jobs in February, pushing unemployment down a bit to 9.1 percent, the Employment Security Department reported Tuesday.
The construction industry, which has seen employment drop significantly during the past two years, was the big gainer in Febru
ary, adding 3,900 jobs. Government was also up, as 1,700 jobs were added mostly in education and the military. And leisure and hospitality added 1,600 jobs.
The sectors of retail and wholesale trade, financial activities, professional and business services, and transportation, warehousing and utilities were all down.
Unemployment was at 9.2 percent in January, so February’s rate amounted to just a light drop. But it was in the right direction.
Officials said that during the past year, the state has added 31,100 private-sector jobs while losing 3,200 public sector jobs. An estimated 341,865 people in the state were unemployed and looking for work and 234,695 were receiving jobless benefits.
People who have stopped looking for work are not included in the state estimates.
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