BOSTON - June 18, 2009 --- The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported today that Massachusetts added 4,900 jobs in May, the first monthly increase since May 2008 and the largest monthly increase since January 2008. Professional, Scientific, and Business Services, Education and Health Services, and Leisure and Hospitality posted the most gains. Additional job gains were also recorded in Other Services, Financial Activities, and Trade, Transportation and Utilities. Largest monthly declines occurred in Construction and Government with small losses also reported in Manufacturing and Information.

At 3,189,000, jobs are down 111,100 or 3.4 percent from one year ago, with 92,800 of the net job loss occurring over the six month period between October 2008 and April 2009. Education and Health Services recorded higher job numbers than one year ago.

The Massachusetts unemployment rate rose from 8.0 percent in April to 8.2 percent in May, while the national unemployment rate rose from 8.9 percent in April to 9.4 percent in May, the highest rate since August 1983. The national rate has jumped by either 0.4 or 0.5 percentage point during each of the last six months.

Employment Overview
Education and Health Services added 2,500 jobs in May, reaching 648,100 and surpassing the previous high of February 2009. Health Care and Social Assistance jobs increased by 2,200 with smaller gains recorded in Educational Services. Education and Health Services added jobs over the year, with Health Care and Social Assistance accounting for 8,900 of the 10,000 new jobs since May 2008.

Professional, Scientific, and Business Services posted the largest monthly increase of any sector in May. The 2,600 job gain was its biggest monthly increase in over four years. The Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services component added 1,300 jobs in May, while the Administrative and Waste Management Services component, which includes Temporary Help Agencies, gained 1,700 jobs. Administrative and Waste Management Services had been averaging a 3,000 a month job loss over the previous six months. At 458,400, employment in the overall sector is down 30,700 or 6.3 percent from one year ago. Since May 2008, Administrative and Waste Management Services has declined by 20,900 jobs, while the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services component is down 6,900 jobs.

Financial Activities recorded a 400 job increase in May as employment has held steady during 2009. At 209,900, the Financial Activities sector is down 11,900 jobs or 5.4 percent from one year ago. Losses were divided fairly evenly between Finance and Insurance and the much smaller Real Estate, Rental and Leasing.

Trade, Transportation and Utilities added 400 jobs in May. An 800 gain in Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities was partially offset by a 400 decline in wholesale trade, while retail trade was unchanged. Employment in the sector is down 24,100 or 4.2 percent from one year ago to 547,300. The entire over the year job loss was concentrated in both Retail and Wholesale Trade.

Leisure and Hospitality jobs were up 2,500 over the month with most of the gains in Accommodation and Food Services. Employment in this sector has fluctuated during 2009 with large monthly swings in both directions. At 299,300, jobs are off 8,400 over the year, with most of the losses in Accommodation and Food Services.

Information lost 100 jobs in May, with employment levels holding fairly steady during 2009. At 85,100, Information employment is down 5,700 or 6.3 percent from one year ago, with Newspaper, Periodical, and Book Publishing and Telecommunications among the industries showing job loss.

Manufacturing continued to trend downward in May but the 300 job loss was the smallest monthly decline in over a year. Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing recorded a 200 job gain in May, but was offset by a 500 loss in Durable Goods. At 272,700 Manufacturing employment is down 15,600 or 5.4 percent from one year ago. Within Manufacturing, Computer and Peripheral Equipment and Transportation Equipment recorded over the year gains.

Construction jobs were down 2,600 in May. At 114,000, jobs are off 20,100 or 15.0 percent from one year ago.

Government jobs fell by 2,100 over the month with losses in all three sub-sectors. Over the year, Government jobs are off 700, with only Federal Government showing an increase.

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
The Bay State's labor force decreased by 3,600 over the month with 11,700 fewer Massachusetts residents employed and 8,100 more unemployed. At 3,430,700, the labor force is up 8,400 from May 2008 as 105,300 fewer residents were employed and 113,700 more were 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 May 2009 will be released on Tuesday, June 23, 2009. The June 2009 unemployment rate and labor force data for Massachusetts will be released on Thursday, July 16, 2009, as will the June 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.