But he said it's also possible that something went awry with the government's efforts to adjust the figures to account for normal seasonal changes. It has been 12 years since it counted so many Marylanders entering the labor force in a single month.
Considering that employers are contending with a housing slump, a credit crunch and energy shocks, it could be a lot worse, Bauer said.
"We're a strong service state, and the service industries are still doing pretty good except for the finance industries related to the housing market," he said.
Employers in the state added 26,800 jobs in the past 12 months.
The biggest gainer was education and health services, which added 11,400 jobs. Professional and business services, which includes such fields as engineering, added 9,400 jobs.
Among the other gainers was leisure and hospitality, adding 5,400 jobs.
Financial activities employers cut 2,300 jobs in the past 12 months. Construction, facing similar housing and credit problems, cut 1,800 jobs. Manufacturers eliminated 3,700 jobs.
The Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Prince George's County, which opened in April with just over 2,000 employees, helped drive up hospitality employment, said Mary Jo McCulloch, president of the Maryland Hotel & Lodging Association. It's not the only place hiring, either.
"We're still having a hard time finding employees," said McCulloch, who is also president of the Maryland Tourism Council.
The industry is feeling the impact of the U.S. slowdown and higher gas prices, though. Leisure travel and meeting planning in Baltimore are "a little bit down," she said. Ocean City reports that visitors aren't staying as long.
"But they also seem to be able to fill those rooms with other people," she said. Visitors are "spending the money on the gas tank but still going."
Bauer said Maryland businesses, which he surveys regularly, are generally pessimistic about the state of the overall economy but report they're doing OK.
More than half of the respondents said things in June are about the same as last month or better at their own company. And about two-thirds expect their businesses will be doing at least as well if not better in six months, despite gloomy economic news, Bauer said: "They see things turning around."
jamie.smith.hopkins@baltsun.com
