New Jersey employers added 7,500 jobs in July, a little more than half the number lost in June, and the unemployment rate held steady at 4.9%, according to federal data released Thursday by the state Department of Labor & Workforce Development.
Preliminary numbers previously released for June were revised downward in the most recent report. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics originally reported jobs losses of 9,700 in June but revised that to a loss of 14,400 jobs. This change did not affect the 4.9% unemployment rate previously reported for June, which is among the nation’s highest.
Only Washington, D.C. (5.9%), Nevada (5.4%), California (5.4%) and Michigan (5.3%) had higher unemployment rates than New Jersey in June.
In July, six out of nine private industries in New Jersey recorded monthly employment gains. Those sectors were professional and business services (+7,700), leisure and hospitality (+3,000), other services (+2,500), manufacturing (+1,200), private education and health services (+500), and financial activities (+100).
Industries that recorded job losses include construction (-1,600), trade, transportation, and utilities (-200), and information (-100). The public sector lost 5,600 jobs in July.
Over the past 12 months, New Jersey has added 24,800 nonfarm jobs. The private sector recorded a gain of 32,000 over that time. Six out of nine private sector industries recorded a gain, including private education and health services (+32,100), professional and business services (+11,600), financial activities (+3,000), manufacturing (+2,500), other services (+1,400), and leisure and hospitality (+1,000).
Losses were recorded year-over-year in construction (-8,000), trade, transportation, and utilities (-6,900), and information (-4,700). The public sector has recorded a loss of 7,200 jobs over the past 12 months.