Pa Hiring Surge, Largest in 15 years
Pennsylvania employers added 34,000 jobs in April, the highest monthly number since 1996, although unemployment remained at its highest rate in more than a quarter century.
Gov. Ed Rendell calls it “really good news for Pennsylvania,” although he acknowledges that the effects of the recession aren’t over. Jobs increased in April nationally and in 37 other states as well.
The state Labor and Industry Department said Friday that many of the jobs added were in professional and business services, tourism, manufacturing and the trade, transportation and utilities category.
Despite the jump in nonfarm jobs to a seasonally adjusted level of 5.6 million, the unemployment rate remained at 9 percent as more people start or resume looking for work.
That’s below the national rate of 9.9 percent.
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