Don't Discount Public-Sector Jobs

While the government unemployment rate is higher than it was a year ago, it has been relatively flat in recent months, and is still much lower than the national rate. The unemployment rate for state and local jobs was 5% in May, compared with 5.5% for overall unemployment.

The Labor Department offers a look at local government unemployment rates. The West and Midwest had the worst labor situation last month, while the Northeast and the South had the best. The agency's national employment survey also showed that while federal and state governments were cutting payrolls, local governments added employees. The education sector has fared well although the Post Office has been slashing jobs.