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Maryland adds 6,400 jobs in May, unemployment rate ticks higher

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BALTIMORE, MD—Maryland added 6,400 jobs in May, with 5,200 coming from the private sector, according to data released Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Labor. The state’s unemployment rate, meanwhile, continues to rise.

The total number of people employed in the state rose to 65.3% of the population in May, up 0.1% from March.

The labor force participation rate rose by 0.1 percentage points in May to 65.3% of the population, a sign that more people are available to work. The employment base dropped by 1,600 jobs in the transportation, warehousing and utilities sector between March and May. This sector includes 110,000 workers.

The state said the response to clear the Port of Baltimore shipping channel helped stabilize jobs. The U.S. Small Business Administration and the state said they offered 284 businesses grants of up to $200,000 to help them keep employees on the job.

“The jobs data released today is encouraging. More Marylanders are looking for jobs, and through the great workforce partnerships we have in place in expanding industries like healthcare, we can meet the needs of businesses and job seekers,” said Portia Wu, Maryland’s Secretary of Labor.

“I’m also very heartened to see that the State’s economic response, including our department’s Worker Retention and Worker Support Programs, have helped hundreds of businesses and thousands of workers stay afloat during this challenging time.”

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.

Photo by Pixabay from Pexels

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