Unemployment rate edges up to 8.2 percent in Minnesota for March 2009

The unemployment rate in Minnesota crept up to 8.2 percent in March as the state's employers shed 23,200 jobs, according to new figures from the Department of Employment and Economic Development.

However, the state rate is below the 8.5 percent national rate and it's only up slightly from February's 8 percent seasonally adjusted rate, the department reported.

The sectors with the biggest jobs losses in March were manufacturing (6,700), professional and business services (6,200) and construction (3,700). In the past 12 months, the construction sector has lost 21 percent of its jobs, while business services are down 10 percent and manufacturing is down 9.1 percent.

Even sectors that have been bright spots in recent jobless reports were down in March. Still, over the past 12 months, education and health services have gained 16,200 jobs in the state, while government has added 2,100 positions.

There were job losses in the past 12 months in all the state's metro areas in Thursday's report. Minneapolis-St. Paul lost 3.6 percent of its jobs, Duluth-Superior was down 2.7 percent, Rochester was down 0.6 percent and St. Cloud was down 1.9 percent.