Health care and hospitality hiring in Maine highlight otherwise ho-hum November unemployment report

Photo / Renee Cordes 'Tis the season to be hiring at retailers including this Shaw's grocery store in South Portland.

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Maine’s unemployment rate inched up to 3.1% in November from 2.9% in October, according to preliminary data released last week by the Maine Department of Labor

The state’s unemployment rate has been below 4% for 26 months — the second longest such period — and below the U.S. average for all but two months for 17 years.

November’s jobless rate was below the 3.5% average across the six New England states and 4.2% for the U.S. as a whole.

Maine non-farm wage and salary jobs were 652,600, down 0.1% from 658,100 in October. Jobs increased by 4,700 over the last year, an average of 400 per month. Most of those gains occurred last winter and some this fall, after a period of little change during the summer.

Private sector jobs increased mainly in health care and social assistance and in leisure and hospitality, continuing the recent pattern, the agency said.

Among the state’s three metropolitan areas, unemployment was below the statewide average in Portland-South Portland and close to the average in Bangor and Lewiston-Auburn.

Across the state, jobless rates were lowest in southern and central areas and highest in the north.

The private sector work week averaged 33.3 hours and pay averaged $32 per hour in November. Average hours were little changed, and hourly earnings increased 5.7% from a year ago.

The work week was longest in construction and shortest in leisure and hospitality, while earnings were highest in professional and business services and lowest in leisure and hospitality.

The Maine Department of Labor is scheduled to release December data on Tuesday, Jan. 28.