BOSTON - September 17, 2009 --- The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported today that the unemployment rate in Massachusetts rose to 9.1 percent in August and jobs are down 400. The July job loss which originally reported at 2,800 was revised down to 800, the July unemployment rate was 8.8 percent. Professional, Scientific and Business Services and Education and Health Services gained the most jobs in August, while Construction and Financial Activities recorded the largest monthly declines. The August national unemployment rate was 9.7 percent compared to 9.4 percent in July.

At 3,185,900, jobs are down 105,700 or 3.2 percent from one year ago. Education and Health Services and Leisure and Hospitality continued to record higher job numbers than one year ago. Professional, Scientific and Business Services and Trade, Transportation and Utilities recorded the largest over the year declines; Construction continues to show the highest rate of job loss.

Employment Overview
Professional, Scientific and Business Services added 2,000 jobs following on a 900 job gain in July. In August, Professional, Scientific and Technical Services added 600 jobs, Management of Companies added 200 jobs, and the Administrative and Waste Management component which includes Temporary Help Agencies added 1,200 jobs. Since April this sector has added 4,400 jobs with gains in three of the last four months. With employment at 460,200 in the overall sector in August, jobs are down 26,400 or 5.4 percent from one year ago.

Education and Health Services added 1,100 jobs in August. All of the gains were in Health Care and Social Assistance, which added 1,300 jobs. Educational Services lost 200 jobs. Since April, Education and Health Services has added 7,200 jobs with gains in both components. With 652,800 jobs in August, Education and Health Services jobs are up 9,200 jobs or 1.4 percent from one year ago.

Information added 400 jobs in August, after gaining 700 jobs in July. At 86,000, Information employment is down 3,000 or 3.4 percent from one year ago with losses in all components.

Other Services added 400 jobs in August, the first monthly gain since May. With employment at 117,300, jobs are down 3,500 or 2.9 percent from one year ago.

Leisure and Hospitality added 200 jobs following on a 4,500 gain in July. Leisure and Hospitality has added 11,600 jobs since April of this year. August is the fourth consecutive month the overall sector has added jobs. At 308,400, jobs are up 3,300 over the year, with all of the gains in the Accommodation and Food Services component.

Construction lost 2,200 jobs in August, with fewer jobs in Building Construction and Specialty Trade Contractors. At 108,900, employment is down 22,800 or 17.3 percent from one year ago. Construction has the largest over the month and over the year percentage job losses of any sector in Massachusetts.

Financial Activities lost 1,000 jobs in August. Most of the August job loss was in the Real Estate and Rental and Leasing component. Financial Activities has lost 2,600 jobs since April. At 206,900, the Financial Activities sector is down 13,800 jobs or 6.3 percent from one year ago.

Trade, Transportation and Utilities jobs were off 300 in August after adding 400 jobs in July. Wholesale Trade added 100 jobs in August after gaining 500 jobs in July. Retail Trade which lost 200 jobs in August has added 700 jobs since April. Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities also lost jobs in August. Employment in the sector is down 23,400 or 4.1 percent from one year ago to 546,400.

Government jobs were down 700 over the month following on the 4,800 job loss the previous two months. A small job gain in Federal Government was more than offset by a 1,000 job loss in Local Government and State Government's 100 job loss. Government jobs have declined by 8,300 over the year with losses in all three components.

Manufacturing jobs declined 200 in August with the Durable and Non-Durable Goods components each recording losses. With employment of 269,000 in August, Manufacturing jobs are down 16,800 or 5.9 percent from one year ago. Within Durable Goods Manufacturing, both Transportation Equipment and Food and Kindred Products added jobs over the year.

Labor Force Overview
The Bay State's labor force increased by 4,100 over the month with 6,400 less Massachusetts residents employed and 10,500 more unemployed. At 3,444,500, the labor force was up 18,000 from August 2008 with 110,500 fewer residents employed and 128,600 more residents unemployed.

The unemployment rate is based on a monthly sample of households, while the job estimates are derived from a monthly sample survey of employers. As a result, the two statistics may exhibit different trends.

NOTES: Local area unemployment statistics for August 2009 will be released on Tuesday, September 22, 2009. The September 2009 unemployment rate and labor force data for Massachusetts will be released on Thursday, October 15, 2009, as will the September 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.