N.J. unemployment rate drops to 3.7 percent
According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, New Jersey’s unemployment rate fell by .2 percent in July and is now at 3.7 percent.
So far this year, New Jersey employers have added 101,500 jobs, for an average monthly gain of 14,500, according to the New Jersey Department of Labor.
The state has recovered about 99 percent of all of the public and private sector job losses caused by the pandemic, officials said.
In July, seven out of nine major private industry sectors experienced job growth. Sectors that recorded employment increases were professional and business services (+4,900), education and health services (+4,200), trade, transportation, and utilities (+2,500), manufacturing (+1,100), other services (+800), construction (+700), and financial activities (+300).
Leisure and hospitality was the only private sector to record a loss, down 2,400 jobs. Month-over-month public sector employment decreased by 5,800 jobs, declining as a result of job losses at the local level, with 7,200 jobs lost.
Krystal Knapp is the founding editor of Planet Princeton. Follow her on Twitter @krystalknapp. She can be reached via email at editor AT planetprinceton.com. Send all letters to the editor and press releases to that email address.