TRENTON, N.J. — Despite some job growth, the unemployment rate in New Jersey inched up to 9.1 percent in April, an increase that the state's chief economist attributed to a rise in the number of people actively looking for work.
Treasury Department economist Charles Steindel said Thursday the number of New Jersey residents working is at a three-year high of nearly 3.9 million, with 2,600 jobs added in April. He said the numbers are consistent with continuing job growth.
Treasury Department economist Charles Steindel said Thursday the number of New Jersey residents working is at a three-year high of nearly 3.9 million, with 2,600 jobs added in April.
While the jobless rate edged up by 0.1 percent, he said it was due to improvement in the labor market. The government only counts people as unemployed if they are actively looking for a job.
Preliminary figures showed the state gained 6,300 private sector jobs last month while losing 3,700 local government jobs, for a net gain of 2,600.
From April 2010 to April 2012, New Jersey added 39,600 jobs, state figures show. New, more complete data for March show the job loss that month was 3,700, less than half the initial estimate.
New Jersey's jobless rate stands a full percentage point above the national rate of 8.1 percent, which has been lowered in part by a decline nationwide in job-seekers.