July jobless rate up 0.1% in Maine

AUGUSTA — Maine’s unemployment rate rose in July to 4.2 percent from 4.1 percent a month earlier, state Labor Commissioner Charles Morrison said Thursday.

July’s rate was higher than the 3.7 percent posted during the same month in 1989, but it was lower than the comparable national rate of 5.5 percent.

“The unemployment rate rose over the year mainly as a result of job losses in construction and retail trade, which have been hurt by lower consumer and business demand,” said Morrison.

“Restaurants, in particular, have hired fewer people this summer than last year,” Morrison said.

Some seasonal gains were recorded between June and July, as restaurant employment rose by 1,600 and motels and hotels hired 2,900 more people.

During July, county unemployment rates ranged from a high of 6.7 percent in Piscataquis to a low of 1.9 percent in Lincoln County.