MD April Jobs Report adds 7,800 jobs despite anticipated drop from bridge collapse

MARYLAND – April of this year is the strongest jobs figure for a month since the pandemic began here in Maryland, with the state adding 7,800$ jobs in the month of April, despite worries over the fallout from the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and ensuing closer of the port.

The state Department of Labor praised lawmakers who worked to keep the 3,000 dock workers in their jobs throughout the disaster and reported gains in professional services, construction, government, and construction jobs across the state.

“We’ve seen local governments adding jobs, the state of Maryland’s been adding jobs, the Moore administration, as everybody knows, made a commitment to fill all these vacant state positions.
And then the federal government continues to add jobs and the federal presence is a big economic boost for the state of Maryland,” said Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce President Bill Chambers.

Chambers tells WMDT that the strong jobs number also means a stronger budgeting season for the state- as those jobs add to state and local tax base- and make a budget shortfall a bit easier to manage- come fiscal year 2025, adding that the managing of the port disaster took what could have been a serious blip in the radar for Maryland and helped dampen the impacts.

He expects for the Eastern Shore, that the May jobs report will be even stronger as restaurants and other seasonal businesses scale up for their summer positions ahead of Memorial Day weekend.