Attention: Business Editors and Reporters

New Jersey's private-sector employers added 7,700 new jobs in May on top of a gain of 4,600 in April, providing the biggest boost to private-sector employment growth so far this year, according to information released today by the NJ Department of Labor (NJDOL) in its monthly employment report.

With the creation of 12,300 private-sector jobs in April and May, New Jersey has added a modest 11,900 private-sector jobs in the first five months this year. The April-May employment spike offset a small job loss in the first quarter.

“The addition of 12,300 private sector jobs in April and May is a welcome development,” said NJBIA President Philip Kirschner . “We are hopeful that this is the beginning of a period of strong job growth.”

The bulk of the gains so far this year have come in the service sector, particularly in leisure and hospitality (3,900), education and health services (3,600) and professional and business services (2,200). Over the same period, the manufacturing sector has lost 3,100 jobs, and construction has added 900 jobs.

May's big gain also brought total private-sector employment in New Jersey to a record high of 3,434,000 jobs, surpassing the pre-recession peak of 3,430,000 set in December 2000.

“The State now has 4,000 more jobs in the private sector than it did six and a half years ago. This is a watershed development,” Kirschner said.

The NJDOL also reported that New Jersey 's unemployment rate fell by one-tenth of a percentage point to 5 percent in April. The national unemployment rate was 4.6 percent in May.