Pa. employers add jobs in May, 3rd straight month; unemployment continues to rise

Pa. employers add jobs in May, 3rd straight month

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania employers continued to add jobs in May for the third consecutive month, although unemployment remains at its highest rate in more than a quarter-century.

The state Labor and Industry Department said Thursday that many of the 19,500 jobs added in May were by the government, including temporary hiring by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Nonfarm jobs jumped to above a seasonally adjusted level of 5.62 million. However, Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate rose to 9.1 percent from 9 percent, the highest mark in 26 years, as more people work more than one job to make ends meet.

The national unemployment rate was 9.7 percent in May.