BOSTON - Tuesday, July 22, 2008 --- The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development today reported preliminary estimates that show job gains over the month in 10 of the 12 labor market areas for which job estimates are published in Massachusetts.  Seasonal gains were reported in construction; trade, transportation and utilities; professional, scientific and business services; and leisure and hospitality.

The job estimates for the labor market areas, which are not adjusted for seasonality, follow the release last week of the statewide seasonally adjusted job numbers. These estimates show job gains in June throughout regions of the Commonwealth. The Boston-Cambridge-Quincy area added the most new jobs. The Barnstable area posted the strongest percentage increase in jobs due to hiring for the summer season. The Pittsfield*, Haverhill-North Andover-Amesbury and Framingham areas also recorded strong growth. Jobs in the Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford area remain unchanged while jobs were off in the New Bedford labor market area.

Additionally, estimates show job gains over the month and over the year in the Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, Framingham and Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton areas. Employment levels over the year were unchanged in the Haverhill-North Andover-Amesbury area while jobs were off in eight areas.

Statewide, the preliminary June estimate shows the unadjusted unemployment rate at 5.3 percent, up from 4.7 percent in May 2008 and the 4.6 percent one year ago. Preliminary estimates for June 2008 show lower unemployment rates for two of the 22 labor areas for which unemployment rates estimates are published.  The remaining 20 labor market areas recorded seasonal unemployment rate gains over the month. Over the year, all 22 labor areas posted higher unemployment rates mirroring state trends.

The statewide seasonally adjusted job estimates for June 2008 show that Massachusetts added 2,900 new jobs and has gained jobs in eight of the last nine months whereas the national economy continues to shed jobs. The seasonally adjusted rate in Massachusetts edged up to 5.2 percent in June from 4.9 percent in May, due to an increase in the number of residents without a recent attachment to the labor market seeking jobs.

NOTES: The July 2008 unemployment rate, labor force data and survey of jobs for Massachusetts will be released on August 14, 2008, local unemployment statistics will be released on August 19, 2008. Detailed labor market information is available at www.mass.gov/lmi.

*With the release of the January 2008 estimates, the data for the Pittsfield and Leominster-Fitchburg-Gardner NECTA areas are no longer validated by US DOL BLS and the historical sub-state Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) series for 2007 have been revised. As defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, Metropolitan New England City and Town Areas (NECTAs) must have an urbanized area population of 50,000 or more, while a Micropolitan NECTA must have an urban cluster population of at least 10,000 but less than 50,000. A NECTA containing a single core with a population of at least 2.5 million may be subdivided to smaller groupings of cities and towns referred to as NECTA Divisions.