TRENTON -- Employment in New Jersey advanced in November as employers in the state added 2,100 jobs. The November unemployment rate in New Jersey was 4.2 percent, compared with the state’s October rate of 4.1 percent, and was considerably lower than the national rate of 4.7 percent.

Total nonfarm wage and salary employment in the Garden State reached an all-time high of 4,109,800 in November, based on preliminary estimates from the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s monthly survey of employers. The previously released October estimate remained unchanged at 4,107,700 after more complete reporting from employers.

“Jobs in New Jersey have expanded consistently over the past seven months. Payrolls have increased by slightly more than 24,000 jobs so far in 2007 – and almost all of the gains have occurred just since April,” said New Jersey Labor Commissioner David J. Socolow. “Looking back at this time last year, the gain of 2,100 jobs in November of 2007 was a significant improvement over November of 2006, when employment fell by 2,300 jobs,” Socolow added.

The private sector job growth leader in November was employment in the education and health services supersector (+1,000), as gains in the health care and social assistance component (+1,200) offset a slight contraction in educational services (-200). Other supersectors with employment gains included leisure and hospitality (+700), construction (+400), and professional and business services (+300). The increase in leisure and hospitality was due to hiring in the accommodation and food services segment (+900), while the gain in professional and business service was concentrated in the management of companies and enterprises component (+300). Public sector employment increased 1,200 over the month, led by educational hiring at the local level.

Industry supersectors that recorded over-the-month decreases included manufacturing

(-800) and financial activities (-600). Losses in the durable goods sector accounted for the entire setback in manufacturing. The lack of activity in the mortgage industry was responsible for the contraction in financial activities.

Over the month, the unadjusted workweek for manufacturing workers rose by 0.5 hours to 41.9 hours, average hourly earnings increased by $0.03 to $17.54 and weekly earnings rose by $10.02 to $734.93. Compared with November of last year, the unadjusted workweek was unchanged, average hourly earnings increased by $0.81 and weekly earnings rose by $33.94.