St. Paul, MN – Minnesota employers added 6,100 jobs in August, according to seasonally adjusted figures released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).
The August gains, combined with July figures that were revised from 4,200 jobs lost to 100 jobs lost, put calendar year gains at 13,200 jobs in the state. Over the past 12 months, the state has added 56,311 jobs, a 2 percent growth rate compared with a U.S. growth rate of 1.8 percent.
The state unemployment rate fell to 4.3 percent in August, the lowest unemployment rate in the state in nearly eight years. The U.S. unemployment rate in August was 6.1 percent.
“Minnesota is a great place to live, work, raise a family and do business,” said State Representative David Bly (DFL – Northfield). “Employers make Minnesota their home because we offer a great quality of life and highly skilled workers thanks to our historical commitment to education. Our challenge ahead is expanding the number of jobs that pay good wages and allow workers to provide for themselves and their families. That’s a goal every Minnesotan can rally around. I think we are well-positioned to tackle it and build on the progress we’ve made together over the past two years.”
Rep. Bly encourages his constituents to contact him with any questions or comments about the August jobs report. He can be reached by phone at (651) 296-0171, by email at rep.david.bly@house.mn or by postal mail at 559 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155.