Mass. jobless rate climbs again amid lackluster hiring

Boston Globe

16-05-2025

Massachusetts employers added 7,700 jobs last month. The gain was led by three sectors: trade, transportation, and utilities; construction; and education and health services. That followed an increase of 2,800 jobs in March, which was revised lower from 4,400 jobs.
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Even with last month's improvement, local hiring has lagged behind the country overall. Over the past year,
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Massachusetts nonfarm payrolls. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Larry Edelman
The combination of more residents looking for work — the ranks of job-hunters increased by 7,800 last month — and lackluster job creation is pushing up the unemployment rate. The mismatch could worsen if President Trump's tariff war slows economic growth or triggers a recession.
'As Massachusetts' labor market continues to grow, the Healey-Driscoll Administration is focused on connecting jobseekers to training opportunities that will drive employment and connecting employers to skilled talent looking for their next career move,' Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones said in a statement.
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The administration this week said it would allocate $6.8 million to train and hire more than 1,100 workers in health care, life sciences, technology, construction, and other industries statewide, and $22 million to hire over 6,500 youth and young adults for summer and year-round employment.
Larry Edelman can be reached at