N.J. shed 7,100 private sector jobs and 5,900 public sector jobs in January
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Job seekers check the board at a New York State Department of Labor Employment Services office March 3.TRENTON — New Jersey lost 13,000 jobs in January in both the private and public sectors, according to data released by the state Department of Labor today.
The state shed 7,100 private sector jobs and 5,900 public sector jobs, while the unemployment rate was unchanged at 9.1 percent.
The private sector job losses were led by professional and business services, which lost 4,000 jobs. In the public sector, the state shed 3,800 jobs, while local governments shed 2,600. Federal jobs ticked up slightly by 500.
The state also revised its jobs figures for 2010, showing an overall loss of 17,000 jobs fueled by cuts in the public sector. The state gained 5,200 private sector jobs during 2010, but shed 22,200 public sector jobs. That’s slightly better than the department's preliminary report on 2010 jobs, which overestimated public sector losses and said the private sector had lost jobs.
Gov. Chris Christie often credits his administration with driving down the unemployment rate and creating private sector jobs. Late last year, when jobs reports showed the state adding private sector positions Christie attributed the growth to his policies, including vetoing a “millionaires tax” Democrats in the Legislature had passed and reducing regulations on business.
Christie spokesman Kevin Roberts focused on the overall, if slight, growth in private sector jobs in 2010.
"While New Jersey’s unemployment level has finally stabilized over the last year and we've even seen an increase in private sector jobs, it’s clear that there is more work to do to get our economy moving again and spur private sector job creation," he said. "By finally bringing fiscal discipline to the state budget, we are now in a position to go even further to create Jersey Jobs by proposing $200 million in targeted, responsible tax cuts and incentives."
Previous coverage:
• N.J. unemployment rate drops, but number of jobs decreases
• U.S. unemployment rate rises to 9.8 percent as hiring slows
• N.J. unemployment benefits cut to 26 weeks, from 99 weeks, for first-time filers
• Star-Ledger editorial: Unemployment extension should be restored
