WASHINGTON (AP) — Employers added jobs in 36 states last month, led by big gains in California, Texas and Florida.
The Labor Department says unemployment rates fell in 25 states, with the sharpest drops occurring in Missouri and Oregon. The unemployment rate doesn't always decline even when more hiring occurs, because more Americans may start job hunting and push up the rate even as others are hired.
The solid job gains in roughly three-quarters of U.S. states occurred despite slower global growth and a strong dollar that have hurt manufacturing. Americans are still buying homes, and consumer spending has been steady. That is boosting job gains in restaurants, health care and construction.
Sharp falls in oil prices are still causing job losses in energy-rich states such as North Dakota, Wyoming and Oklahoma.
