BOSTON - April 16, 2009 ---The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported today that the Massachusetts unemployment rate was 7.8 percent in March. The February rate was originally estimated at 7.8 percent, but was revised downward to 7.7 percent.

The national unemployment rate jumped to 8.5 percent in March from 8.1 percent in February. One year ago in March 2008 Massachusetts recorded a 4.7 percent rate while the U.S. rate was at 5.1 percent.

Job losses in March totaled 20,300. The job loss numbers are drawn from employer survey data while the unemployment rate is drawn from household survey data. The total jobs estimate for the state is 3,194,700, down 105,700 or 3.2 percent from one year ago, with most of the losses occurring over the last six months.

Employment Overview
Education and Health Services has continued to show modest job growth throughout this recessionary environment. Employment edged up by 100 in March but has increased 3,800 over the first quarter of 2009. Health Care and Social Assistance alone accounted for 3,000 new jobs over the first quarter. At 647,100, Education and Health Services jobs are up 10,500 or 1.6 percent from one year ago, the only private sector to add jobs over the year. Health Care and Social Assistance added 9,200 new jobs while Educational Services were up 1,300 from one year ago.

Jobs in the Professional, Scientific, and Business Services dropped by 4,700 in March. The Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services component added 400 jobs over the month while the Administrative and Waste Management Services component, which includes Temporary Help Agencies, lost 5,100 jobs. At 458,900, employment in the overall sector is down 30,500 or 6.2 percent from one year ago, with most of the decline occurring over the past six months. Since March 2008, Administrative and Waste Management Services has shed 22,600 jobs, while the larger Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services component lost a more modest 6,300 jobs.

Financial Activities showed a small 300 job decline as the rate of loss has moderated. Over first quarter 2009 financial activities was down 1,400 jobs compared to an 8,900 decline over the prior three month period. At 210,000, the Financial Activities sector is down 12,500 jobs or 5.6 percent from one year ago, with losses split evenly between Real Estate, Rental and Leasing and the much larger Finance and Insurance industries.

Trade, Transportation and Utilities lost 2,900 jobs in March with Retail Trade reflecting the brunt of the decline. Employment in the sector is down 22,000 from one year ago to 549,900, with nearly all the annual job loss attributed to declines in both Retail Trade and Wholesale Trade.

Leisure and Hospitality posted the largest over the month decline among the industry sectors at 6,200 after adding 4,100 jobs over the prior two months. At 296,900, jobs are off 9,900 over the year, with most of the losses in Accommodation and Food Services.

Information jobs were down 800 in March. At 84,500, employment in Information is off 5,100 or 5.7 percent over the past year, with losses concentrated in Newspaper, Periodical, and Book Publishing and Telecommunications.

Manufacturing lost 2,800 jobs in March with nearly all of the losses in Durable Goods. At 273,500 Manufacturing employment is down 15,700 or 5.4 percent from one year ago. Transportation Equipment and Food Products posted over the year gains while Fabricated Metals, Computer and Electronic Products and Printing had the largest losses.

Construction jobs were down 2,000 in March. At 119,100, jobs are down 17,200 or 12.6 percent from one year ago, more than twice the rate of decline of any other sector.

Government jobs were off 400 in March with a 200 job gain in Federal Government more than offset by declines of 300 each in State and Local Government.

The job numbers are the result of a monthly survey that uses U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics methodology. More than 8,000 Massachusetts employers are surveyed to determine the number of jobs by industry. These estimates are the economic indicator used to gauge the Commonwealth's employment growth patterns.

Labor Force Overview
During the month, 3,155,900 Massachusetts residents were employed, 6,300 fewer than in February, and 265,900, unemployed, 800 more than in February, which resulted in a labor force of 3,421,800. The labor force is above (+3,200) last year's level with 102,000 fewer residents employed compared to this time last year and 105,200 more residents unemployed.

Labor force estimates for Massachusetts, developed using the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics model, are based on information on Massachusetts' residents' employment and unemployment status collected through a small monthly sample survey of households.

NOTES: Local area unemployment statistics for March 2009 will be released on Tuesday, April 21, 2009. The April 2009 unemployment rate and labor force data for Massachusetts will be released on Thursday, May 21, 2009, as will the April 2009 survey of jobs. (See the January, 2009 Media Advisory annual schedule for complete listing of release dates.) Detailed labor market information is available at www.mass.gov/lmi. Historical jobs and labor force estimates for Massachusetts have been revised as of 3/05/09.