BOSTON - March 4, 2010 --- The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported today the Massachusetts unemployment rate increased from a revised 9.3 percent in December to 9.5 percent in January. Compared to the national rate of 9.7 percent, Massachusetts remains below the national unemployment rate. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) establishment survey estimates there were 3,138,000 jobs in the Commonwealth in January.

There was a net gain of 400 jobs for the month of January, with private sector jobs up 1,700 and the labor force grew by 3,200. Sectors that added jobs in January include Trade, Transportation and Utilities; Professional, Scientific and Business Services; Education and Health Services; Information; Other Services and Leisure and Hospitality. Job losses were recorded in Construction; Manufacturing; Financial Activities and Government. Overall, the BLS estimates that the state has experienced a job loss of 2.9 percent, or 92,200, in the past twelve months.

Each year there are annual revisions and updates made to seasonal adjustment factors, which result in the changes to the state's historical employment data. The seasonally adjusted labor force estimates have been revised for 1976 through 2009 and the jobs estimates have been revised for 1990 through 2009 are now available on the state's labor market data website.

Employment Overview
The Trade, Transportation and Utilities sector added 3,500 jobs in January, which is this sector's first monthly job gain since September 2009. All of the job gains were in Retail Trade. Transportation, Warehouse and Utilities and Wholesale Trade jobs are down 3.4 percent, or 18,900, from one year ago with the highest amount of jobs lost in Wholesale Trade.

The Professional, Scientific and Business Services sector - the third largest sector in Massachusetts - has posted job gains in three of the past four months. In January, this sector gained 2,700 jobs, with 2,500 of these jobs gained in Professional, Scientific and Technical Services. Over the year, jobs in this sector were down 3.5 percent, or 16,700. However, the Research and Development subsector added 1,000 jobs over the year.

Education and Health Services - the largest job sector in Massachusetts - represents one out of every five jobs in the Commonwealth. The sector gained 2,100 jobs in January. All of the monthly job gains within this sector were in Health Care and Social Assistance. The sector as a whole added 9,800 jobs over the year.

The Information sector gained 1,400 jobs in January, the first monthly gain since October of 2009. Information employment is down 2.3 percent, or 2,000 jobs, from one year ago.

Other Services added 700 jobs in January, which is the second consecutive monthly jobs gain for this sector. Within this sector, jobs are down 2.1 percent, or 2,500, from one year ago, with the largest losses in Personal and Laundry Services.

The Leisure and Hospitality sector added 100 jobs in January, the first monthly gain since September 2009. Within this sector, Accommodation and Food Services' gains have offset losses in Arts, Entertainment and Recreation. Leisure and Hospitality jobs are down 2.4 percent, or 7,100, over the year.

Construction lost 4,000 jobs in January, with losses in all components. Construction employment is down 16.7 percent, or 20,400 jobs, over the year.

Following job gains in the prior two months, the Manufacturing sector lost 3,100 jobs in January. Within this sector, Durable Goods lost 2,200 jobs and Non-Durable Goods lost 900 jobs over the month. Manufacturing jobs are down 7.9 percent, or 21,600 jobs, from one year ago. However, the Durable Goods, Food and Kindred Products subsector did post a small over the year job gain.

Financial Activities jobs were down 1,500 in January. Within this sector, Finance and Insurance lost 1,100 jobs while Real Estate and Rental and Leasing lost 400 jobs. Within this sector, jobs are down 5.6 percent, or 12,200 jobs, from one year ago.

The BLS reporting of government loss of 1,300 jobs over the month likely reflects the transfer of sheriff department employees from the category of Local Government to State Government. Within this sector, Federal Government had no job change, Local Government lost 2,600 jobs, and State Government gained 1,300 jobs. Over the year, Government jobs are down 600.

Labor Force Overview
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated the Massachusetts labor force to be at 3,472,300 in January, which is an increase of 3,200 from the December 2009 estimate. This estimate maintains that 3,143,300 residents were employed in January and 329,100 were unemployed. The numbers are rounded and therefore do not add to an exact total.

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: Due to unforeseen delays, local area unemployment statistics for January 2010 the release originally scheduled for Tuesday, March 9, 2010 has been rescheduled to March 11, 2010.
Local area unemployment statistics for January 2010 will now be released on Thursday, March 11, 2010. The February 2010 unemployment rate and labor force data for Massachusetts will be released on Thursday, March 18, 2010, as will the February 2010 survey of jobs. (See the March, 2010 Revised 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 3/04/2010.