Minnesota Jobless Rate Stays Steady in July

ST. PAUL  (AP) - Minnesota's unemployment rate stayed was unchanged in July as state employers added 4,300 jobs.

The Department of Employment and Economic Development says Thursday that the state's jobless rate in July was 5.2 percent, the same as it was in June. That's well below the national unemployment rate of 7.4 percent in July.

The department says that Minnesota is getting close to restoring all the jobs lost during the recession. Commissioner Katie Clark Sieben says an additional 5,500 jobs will get the state to that point.

The government sector added the most jobs in July, with 4,000. The most job losses were in education and health care.