Maryland has the lowest jobless rate in the nation. For employers, that’s a challenge

For three months running, Maryland has had the lowest unemployment rate in the nation. But that’s not necessarily cause for celebration. The state’s jobless rate dropped to 1.7% in August, then fell to the lowest level ever — yes, ever — recorded for any state in September at 1.6%, government figures showed. It edged back up in October to 1.7%, beating out North Dakota for the low mark, the U.S. Department of Labor reported recently.