Maine unemployment rate shows 4.8 percent in September

    State Labor Commissioner Laura Fortman announced that the preliminary seasonally-adjusted September unemployment rate for Maine was 4.8 percent, unchanged from 4.8 percent for August and up slightly from 4.7 percent for September 2006. The national unemployment rate for September was 4.7 percent.
    “Labor market conditions have changed little over the past three months,” said Commissioner Fortman. “The unemployment rate remained at 4.8 percent. The number of seasonally-adjusted non-farm wage and salary jobs, after remaining unchanged between July and August, edged down by 500 to 617,600 in September.”
    Between September 2006 and September 2007, the total number of seasonally adjusted non-farm wage and salary jobs increased by 3,200. In the past year, the largest job gains were recorded in health care and social assistance; professional and business services; and trade, transportation, and utilities. Job losses were registered in manufacturing, construction, and financial activities.
    Other New England states reporting a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for September include New Hampshire, 3.5 percent; Massachusetts, 4.4 percent; Connecticut, 4.5 percent; and Rhode Island, 4.9 percent. The adjusted national rate for September was 4.7 percent, up from 4.6 percent for August and 4.6 percent for September 2006.
    The not-seasonally-adjusted Maine unemployment rate for September was 4.1 percent, up from 4.0 percent for August and unchanged from 4.1 percent for September 2006. The unadjusted national rate was 4.5 percent for September, down from 4.6 percent for August and up from 4.4 percent for September 2006. Not-seasonally-adjusted September unemployment rates for Maine counties ranged from 3.4 percent for Cumberland and Lincoln counties to 6.7 percent for Piscataquis County.
    Not-seasonally-adjusted non-farm wage and salary jobs in Maine declined by 500 between August and September. Seasonal declines were recorded by leisure and hospitality services, retail trade, construction, professional and business services, and real estate, rental, and leasing. These declines were mostly offset by seasonal job gains in education. Local government educational jobs rose as nonprofessional school staff returned to work after the summer break. State government educational jobs increased as nonprofessional staff and work-study students returned to college and university payrolls. Jobs in private educational services also rose.