Minnesota Has Regained 250K of Jobs Lost to COVID Shut Down

Get our free mobile app

St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News) - The latest jobs report from the state shows Minnesota has regained 60 percent of the jobs that were lost during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown last year.

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development says the state had a net gain of about 12,300 jobs last month. Over the past year, Minnesota has added nearly 250,000 jobs after losing over 416,000 from February through April of last year.

Minnesota's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for May was 4 percent, which was down a tenth of a point from April. It is the lowest the state's jobless rate has been since it peaked out over 11 percent last May.

“Minnesota is moving in the right direction with steady job growth,” said DEED Commissioner Steve Grove. “At DEED, we are continuing to proactively work with Minnesotans receiving unemployment benefits, not only to remind them of their work search requirement, but to help them connect with employers who are hiring now.”

State officials also noted the employment gains last month are largely due to people moving from unemployment to employment. Minnesota's labor force participation rate rose two-tenths of a point from April to 67.9 percent. It was the first increase in the rate in three months.

News Update:  House Fire Reported Near Lake Zumbro