Maryland’s workforce increased by 11,700 jobs in July, Maryland Department of Labor officials announced Tuesday.

Montgomery County is opening its Federal Workforce Career Center to support laid-off federal workers this fall.

Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Maryland dropped last week compared with the week prior, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday. New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, fell to 2,143 in the week ending August 16, down from 2,881 the week before, the Labor Department said.

Maryland’s workforce expanded by 11,700 jobs in July, driven largely by public sector gains, according to data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Maryland jobs July 2025 report showed private sector additions of 900 positions,

The Office of Gov. Wes Moore launched the Rural Advancement for Maryland Peers to help rural Marylanders access substance abuse support.