New Jersey employment remained stable in August, with the addition of just 200 jobs, preliminary estimates from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics show.
The unemployment rate still was half a percentage point lower than this time last year. The rate increased from last month, from 4.2 percent to 4.5 percent.
The private and public sectors were almost unchanged after a summer that saw nearly 22,000 jobs added.
Total nonfarm employment increased by 200 jobs, to reach a seasonally adjusted level of 4.13 milion in August.
The state’s private sector added 42,400 jobs over the past year. Since the low that was hit in February 2010, private sector employment in the Garden State has increased by 322,800 jobs.
With fuller numbers out for July, the total nonfarm employment gain was 6,700 jobs, much less than the estimated 9,800 jobs.
In August, job gains were posted in five of nine major private industry sectors, including 3,700 in leisure and hospitality, 2,200 in education and health services, and $1,300 in construction.
The professional and business services sector lost 4,600 jobs.
Public sector employment increased by 900 jobs.
