ST PAUL, Minn. — Editors note: the video at the top of this article originally aired on January 13, 2022.
Unemployment rates in Minnesota continue to go down, according to numbers announced by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).
Though the growth looks good for now, the Minnesota DEED said job growth is uneven coming out of the pandemic.
With the state unemployment rate dropping two-tenths of a percentage point to 3.1%, it's a good rebound coming from several thousand jobs lost in the state and the private sector in December.
“Today’s jobs report is a reminder that economic progress in these times is not a straight line,” said DEED Commissioner Steve Grove. “The good news remains that our economy is bursting with great job opportunities, and DEED will continue our proactive programs to Minnesota job-seekers across the state.”
The December job losses come from manufacturing, transportation, hospitalities and business services.
The gains however, which eventually led to the overall decrease in unemployment numbers, come from information, education and health services, government and construction.
Over the last year, significant job growth in Minnesota was seen in payroll jobs (168,247 jobs) and the private sector (163,477 jobs).
DEED officials said the department recognizes that while unemployment is low in the state, many Minnesotans are still out of work because of the pandemic.
Minnesota DEED said it's in relatively better shape compared to the national average, especially in hospitality, construction and manufacturing jobs.
While the Minnesota unemployment rate is at 3.1% for Dec. 2021, the national average was 3.9% for the same reporting period.
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