MA Loses Progress As Unemployment Rate Back Above U.S. Average

The state's unemployment numbers spent months clawing their way back to the national average. In one month's time, they fell behind again.

The Massachusetts unemployment rate in December increased to 7.4 percent, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced Friday, almost 5 percentage points higher than it was in December 2019.

The national average remains at 6.7 percent, which is where Massachusetts was in November.

The state lost 600 jobs this past month, according to preliminary numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Massachusetts has lost 335,400 jobs since December 2019, highlighting the devastating economic impact of the pandemic.

The leisure and hospitality industries continued to take the biggest hit, losing 9,200 jobs over the previous month. Other sectors have also suffered deep cuts, in part due to fear over the virus and in part due to restrictions intended to curb transmission.

There's optimism those could begin to subside over the next several months. Everyone in the first phase of the state's vaccine plan is now eligible to receive the shot, and Gov. Charlie Baker on Thursday announced on Thursday he may start rolling back some restrictions.

That starts Monday as the state lifts a mandatory 9:30 p.m. closure on most businesses, though a 25 percent capacity limit will remain enforced for at least the next two weeks.