Minnesota jobless rate at 3.5 percent, lowest in nearly 15 years

Minnesota's unemployment rate dropped two tenths of a percent last month to 3.5 percent as employers added 7,200 payroll jobs.

"The state unemployment rate is now at its lowest level since March 2001," Department of Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Katie Clark Sieben said in a statement Thursday. "While the labor market is tightening, healthy job growth in November and recent wage gains are positive signs of an expanding economy."

Additional information collected over November reversed October's loss of 1,700 positions to a gain of 200 jobs.

All but three of Minnesota's 11 industrial sectors gained jobs in November: construction (3,300), government (1,000), professional and business services (900), leisure and hospitality (900), trade, transportation and utilities (800), education and health services (600), financial activities (400), information (100).

Logging and mining was flat.

Manufacturing lost 500 positions. The other services category dropped 300 positions.

The unemployment report showed a trio of positive indicators. More people are looking for work, a sign of optimism about job prospects. More people indicate they were paid for work in November, and the number without work declined.