Minnesota Adds Jobs While Unemployment Rate Barely Budges

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Minnesota's employment rolls grew by 7,400 last month but the unemployment rate barely budged.

The Department of Employment and Economic Development reported Thursday that the unemployment rate was at 3.7 percent, which has been fairly steady since last August and remains well below the national average.

It was down a tick from a revised March rate of 3.8 percent.

Minnesota has seen 46,000 jobs added over the past year, a growth rate of 1.7 percent. The labor force participation rate is also at the highest mark in 3 1/2 years.

The brightest spot in April was in the construction sector, with professional and business services also making substantial gains.

Losses came in government, education and health services.