Jobless Rate for Black Minnesotans Drops to Record Low

St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News) - The monthly jobs report issued by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development shows the state’s jobless rate for black Minnesotans hit an all-time low of 6.9-percent in February. The state’s overall, seasonally adjusted, unemployment rate slid a tenth of a point from January to 3.2-percent last month, which is the lowest it has been since August 2000.

“Minnesota’s unemployment rate is at a level last seen in August 2000,” said DEED Commissioner Shawntera Hardy. “While that indicates a tight labor market, it translates into improving job opportunities for those who have struggled to find work in the past, and a more aggressive push for those workers from employers.”

Minnesota’s annualized job growth rate was pegged at only .8-percent last month, which is less than half of the national average. The report shows the state experienced a net loss of 1300 jobs in February, but that was more than offset by a revised gain of nearly 5000 positions in January, which is about twice as high as the figure reported a few weeks ago.

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