Minn. private sector adds 5,800 jobs in August
by Annie Baxter, Minnesota Public RadioSt. Paul, Minn. — Minnesota added more than 28,000 jobs in August, largely due to laid-off state workers getting back to work.
Still, real job gains were in evidence in the private sector, which added 5,800 jobs. The private sector has added more than 42,000 jobs in the past four months.
Last month, employers in the trade, transportation and utilities sector saw the biggest growth in payrolls, followed by construction and education and health services.
The biggest job losses occurred in leisure and hospitality, which shed 3,300 jobs.
The state's unemployment rate remained unchanged at 7.2 percent.
Annie Baxter
• ReporterAnnie Baxter started her radio trajectory answering the phones at a pledge drive at KQED, San Francisco's NPR member station, and managed to wriggle her way into an internship soon thereafter.
