Mass. is finally back to pre-pandemic levels

As for the Massachusetts labor force, the number of workers has returned to pre-pandemic levels.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, about 19,000 jobs were added in June. With a total of 3.75 million jobs, Massachusetts finally surpassed the number of jobs it gained in February 2020 — by 9,000 jobs.

The state’s labor force participation rate, or the percentage of the adult population with a job or looking for a job, is currently 65.7%. This is also the highest level since February 2020.

While the United States as a whole has been able to recover from job losses due to COVID-19, Massachusetts has been slow to resume growth.

Slow population growth and retirement have impacted the Massachusetts labor market, according to a report from Massachusetts University of Technology. The Boston Globewhich could possibly explain why it took 54 months to get back to pre-pandemic levels.

However, a 28,000 increase in the labor force, or people with jobs or currently looking for them, in Massachusetts offset a sluggish January and February. The state’s unemployment rate is currently 3.2%, up 0.2%.

The sector with the highest number of new jobs was government, which added 8,300 jobs. Other highlights include education and health care, which added 5,800 jobs, and professional, scientific and business services, which added 3,300 jobs.

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