Pa. jobless rate at 7.5 percent in July
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HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate remained at 7.5 percent in July, the same level it has been since May.
The Labor and Industry Department said Friday the state added 4,000 private-sector jobs in July but total employment dipped slightly.
Pennsylvania’s jobless rate is slightly above the national level of 7.4 percent for July.
Jobs and joblessness are emerging as a major issue for Gov. Tom Corbett as he heads into a re-election campaign next year.
Corbett’s labor secretary, Julia Hearthway, noted the number of private-sector jobs has grown during Corbett’s nearly three years in office.
Unemployment is down by 0.6 percent from a year ago, while the labor force has grown by 47,000 people.
The state said the number of people classified as unemployed was 492,000, the third-lowest in four years.
Construction, financial activities and leisure and hospitality jobs increased from June to July, while there were drops in government employment and manufacturing.