Mass. Added 1,600 Jobs In July; Rate Ticks Up To 6.1 Percent

Massachusetts added an estimated 1,600 jobs in July and the state’s unemployment rate increased slightly, from 6 percent to 6.1 percent, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced Thursday.

July's jobs gain, derived from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics preliminary estimates, follows a revised gain of 600 jobs in June. Last month, the state had initially reported that Massachusetts lost 2,600 jobs in June.

Though the state's unemployment rate ticked up in July, it's still well below the national rate of 8.3 percent.

"The Massachusetts economy is continuing to trend in the right direction," state Labor Secretary Joanne Goldstein said. "The monthly numbers are a snapshot, and we have to look at them over the course of a sustained period of time."

In July 2011, the Massachusetts unemployment rate was 7.4 percent.

The unemployment rate is based on a survey of households, while the jobs figures are based on a survey of employers.

According to Thursday's initial numbers, the state has added 37,500 jobs so far this year, and the private sector has added 38,900 jobs.

Massachusetts labor officials separate the private sector into 10 subsections, and four of those 10 saw employment gains in July.

The education and health services sector led the way, gaining an estimated 4,000 jobs over the month. The professional, scientific and business services sector, and construction and manufacturing sectors also added jobs in July. The gain of 900 construction jobs is a reversal for a sector that has lost a total of 3,900 jobs over the year.

The government sector also gained an estimated 500 jobs in July, another reversal for a sector that has lost a total of 2,900 jobs over the year.

The leisure and hospitality sector led July's job losses, shedding 1,600 jobs in the month.