New Jersey payrolls decreased by 1,700 jobs, mostly in the public sector, during August and the unemployment rate edged down 0.1 percentage point to 4.3%, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released by state officials on Thursday.
Employment estimates for July were also revised to show a net loss of 21,900 jobs in July, a slight improvement from the previously reported loss of 25,600 jobs. The revision did not change the July unemployment rate of 4.4%.
Over the past month, private sector employment increased slightly (+200), but the gains were wiped out by a loss of 1,900 government jobs.
Four of nine private industry sectors recorded employment gains compared to July: leisure and hospitality (+3,400); construction (+1,000); trade, transportation, and utilities (+600); and other services (+500). Sectors with notable job losses include professional and business services (-3,500), and private education and health services (-1,400).
The financial activities sector (-200); manufacturing sector (-100); and information sector (-100) also lost workers.
Over the last 12 months, the state has lost 13,100 private sector jobs and gained 3,200 public sector jobs for a net loss of 9,900 jobs in all.
New Jersey’s private education and health services sector recorded a year-over-year increase of 22,900 jobs, the only industry that has had year-over-year gains.
Over the same 12-month time period job losses have occurred in professional and business services (-7,700); trade, transportation, and utilities (-7,200); leisure and hospitality (-6,100); construction (-3,800); information (-3,300); financial activities (-3,100); manufacturing (-3,000); and other services (-1,800).
