Minnesota employers eliminated 10,100 jobs in April, according to seasonally adjusted figures released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. On an over-the-year basis, the number of jobs in the state grew 0.7 percent from April 2007, compared with a U.S. over-the-year growth rate of 0.3 percent. 

The state’s unemployment rate edged up a tenth of a point to 4.8 percent, which was below the national rate of 5 percent. Total employment in the state is over 2.7 million jobs.

 "April and May can be erratic months for job creation in Minnesota, depending on when warmer weather arrives," said DEED Commissioner Dan McElroy. "Hiring appears to be delayed in some seasonally cyclical areas, such as construction, because of the longer-than-normal winter." 

Three of the state’s employment sectors gained jobs during April. Financial Activities added 700 positions, followed by Education and Health Services (up 300 jobs) and Other Services (up 200 jobs).

Construction reported the most jobs losses, declining by 3,300. Other sectors that experienced job losses were Government (down 2,600), Leisure and Hospitality (down 1,600) and Manufacturing (down 1,600). 

Smaller job losses were posted by Information (down 800), Trade, Transportation and Utilities, and Professional and Business Services (each down 600) and Natural Resources and Mining (down 200).

Minnesota sectors that have added jobs in the past year are Education and Health Services (up 13,220), Professional and Business Services (up 4,300), Government (up 3,100), Leisure and Hospitality (up 2,400), Trade, Transportation and Utilities (up 2,200), and Financial Activities (up 2,200).

Over the year, employment in the Twin Cities has grown 0.7 percent with 13,012 jobs added. The Duluth-Superior region grew 1.2 percent with 1,500 jobs, Rochester grew 1.6 percent with 1,700 jobs, the St. Cloud region grew 1.4 percent with 1,400 new jobs, Fargo-Moorhead grew 1.6 percent with 1,900 new jobs, and Grand Forks grew 2.4 percent with 1,300 jobs. These data are not seasonally adjusted.