In Maryland’s newest jobs report for June, there was a decline of 8,500 total jobs, including a net loss of 2,900 jobs in the public sector.
According to the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, there was an estimated decrease of 3,500 federal government jobs, 600 local government jobs, and an increase of 1,200 state government jobs.
Additionally, the unemployment rate went slightly up in June from 3.2 to 3.3%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The loss of 3,500 federal government jobs is Maryland’s largest single-month decrease in federal government jobs in almost three decades, the state’s labor department said.
“Maryland continues to invest in support resources to help residents who have been impacted by federal layoffs and other actions,” the state’s labor department said in a news release.
The concentration of federal workers in Maryland is the second highest in the nation, following only the District. Almost 230,000 Maryland residents are employed by the federal government and work in the D.C. area. The federal government contributes $150 billion annually to the state’s economy.
So far this year, the state has a net positive private sector gain of 5,200 jobs.