By Ronald J. Hansen | The Arizona Republic
Arizona’s construction industry added 6,200 net jobs in May, the largest one-month gain since at least 1990, state employment data released Thursday shows.
The gains in construction and other private-sector jobs could not offset the 10,000 government jobs lost last month, leaving the state with a net 200 fewer workers, according to the Office of Employment and Population Statistics.
Even so, Arizona’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell in May to 7.8 percent from 7.9 percent in April. In May 2012, Arizona’s unemployment rate stood at 8.4 percent. In Maricopa County, the unemployment rate was 6.1 percent last month.
