BOSTON - Tuesday, April 21, 2009 --- The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported that the March unemployment rates were lower in ten areas and unchanged in seven areas.  The preliminary unemployment rates, not adjusted for seasonality, were higher in five areas.

The Worcester and Leominster-Fitchburg-Gardner areas gained the same number of jobs in March 2009 as they did from February to March last year.  The Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, Springfield, Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, Barnstable and Framingham areas also posted job gains over the month. Job losses were recorded in the State's five other labor areas for which unadjusted estimates are published. Over the year all of the labor areas recorded increases in unemployment rates and job losses.

Statewide, the seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate decreased from 8.3 percent in February to 8.2 percent for March 2009. The unadjusted unemployment rates and jobs estimates for the labor markets may show different levels and trends than the statewide seasonally adjusted estimates.

The statewide seasonally adjusted March 2009 unemployment rate released last week edged up from 7.7 percent in February to 7.8 percent. Statewide, the seasonally adjusted jobs estimate for March showed over the month and over the year losses.

News of Note for Unemployed Workers
Massachusetts residents currently receiving unemployment benefits will collect an additional $25 in weekly compensation thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The additional compensation will begin next Monday, March 23rd, and is retroactive from February 22, 2009. http://www.mass.gov/eolwd/weeklysupplement.

The federal recovery law provides additional relief for unemployed Massachusetts residents using COBRA. Eligible individuals may receive a subsidy for 65% of the costs of their health care premium. More information can be found at www.Mass.gov/EOLWD/COBRA.

Additionally, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development has launched a new resource, Click here to visit EOLWD's Job Blog.

Please see: http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20090420.htm for yesterday's announcement from US Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis regarding $54.2 million in unemployment insurance modernization incentive funds for Massachusetts.

NOTES: The April 2009 unemployment rate, labor force data and survey of jobs for Massachusetts will be released on May 21, 2009, local unemployment statistics will be released on May 26, 2009. Detailed labor market information is available at www.mass.gov/lmi.

With the release of the February 2009 estimates, the historical sub-state Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) series for 2004 through 2008 have been revised.

*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. 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.