Md. adds 5,500 jobs in August, but unemployment rate climbs

Maryland added 5,500 jobs in August despite an unemployment rate that jumped to 4.3%, according to preliminary data released Friday by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). An additional 13,400 individuals, many of whom left the labor force during the pandemic, began looking for work again. The rise in individuals looking for work resulted in an increased unemployment rate—individuals are only considered unemployed if they do not have a job and are actively looking for work. Compared with August 2021, Maryland jobs are up by 72,400, an over-the-year increase of 2.7%.