Maryland’s economy shed 6,400 jobs in June and the state’s unemployment rate increased from 6.1% to 6.2%, according to preliminary data released by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday morning.

By contrast, Maryland added 11,500 jobs in May. The national unemployment rate is at 5.9%.

In a statement accompanying the report, state Labor Secretary Tiffany Robinson attributed the dismal jobs numbers to a “serious labor shortage,” throughout Maryland. Robinson noted that there are “over 250,000 jobs available” on the state’s jobs portal and that that is the most of any month in five years.

But is Robinson correct? Are there simply not enough workers available to accommodate employers? And is that why Maryland’s unemployment rate is slightly higher than that of the national average?

“With the employee hiring crisis that has set in in every industry and at all pay levels, we need to get people back to work,” Maryland Retailers Association President Cailey Locklair told MarylandReporter.com. “The lack of employees is a combination of search for work requirements, additional UI funds and many other issues like employees completely switching careers.”



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