Monday, July 21, 2008

May Employment Figures Return to Negative Territory

In a recent blog we wrote (with a great deal of hope) that the local employment figures in April might be the beginning of an economic turn-around. Well, May’s figures have crushed that hope.
Overall employment dipped by 3,429. This decline, coupled with an increase in the labor force (+5,892), sent the local unemployment rate to 5.5 percent (up from 4.6 percent in April).
It is important to keep in mind that local employment data can fluctuate dramatically from month to month. Even so, we look to these monthly figures for some sign that the local economy is beginning to recover from this slowdown. Unfortunately it appears we will have to keep looking.

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