November data show drop in Maine jobless

AUGUSTA – Maine’s employment figures reflected a pre-Christmas bump as the state’s jobless rate dropped by 0.3 percentage points in November, the second consecutive monthly decline, Gov. John Baldacci’s administration said Friday.

The preliminary November jobless rate of 4.9 percent was down from the October rate of 5.2 percent, Labor Commissioner Laura Fortman said. September’s rate was 5.4 percent.

“The unemployment rate has declined for the past two months as the increase in total employment outweighed the gain in the number of Maine residents seeking work,” Fortman said.

Fortman added that Maine’s jobless rate in November was 0.1 percentage points below the national rate of 5 percent. The figures reported Friday are adjusted to account for seasonal fluctuations in the labor market.

The state’s unemployment figures between November 2004 and November 2005 did show an increase, from 4.6 percent to 4.9 percent, as an increase in the number of job seekers exceeded employment gains, the Labor Department said.

Jobs in health care and social assistance showed the largest gains between November 2004 and last month as 2,700 more nonagricultural wage and salary jobs appeared. Gains were also recorded in leisure and hospitality services, retail trade and construction.

Partly offsetting the job gains were losses in manufacturing, the Labor Department said.

Maine’s 4.9 percent rate in November equaled or was larger than the comparable jobless figures for three other New England states, including Vermont at 3.5 percent, New Hampshire 3.8 percent, and Massachusetts 4.9 percent. Connecticut’s rate was 5.1 percent while Rhode Island recorded 5.2 percent.