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Employment Metrics - April Result

Employment Metrics - May Forecast

Inside This Issue

  • National Employment Report: April employment levels showed a tepid 0.16% growth rate, continuing a three-month downward trend from a strong 1.06% start in January.
  • What's Hot: Oregon technology employment grew 7.8% in April, fueled by accelerated VC investment in Portland.
  • What's Not: Despite favorable regulatory tailwinds, Massachusetts biotech companies see a net job decrease of -3.3%, much worse than the overall industry.

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About SMBeat

SMBeat provides a detailed analysis and a predictive forecast for trends in key human capital economic indicators for small businesses. All reported statistics are seasonally adjusted unless otherwise indicated. All reported months run from the 13th of the previous month to the 12th of the current month.1 TriNet generates payroll information by tracking real-time movements within its base of approximately 7,000 entrepreneurial businesses whose employees earn approximately $100,000 in annual base salary. These companies fall primarily into three broad industry segments: technology, professional services, and financial services. SMBeat aggregates and reports data reflecting compensation, hiring and retention (both involuntary terminations and voluntary resignations), and also provides ongoing analysis of contributing factors to these trends, including regional, industry and seasonal variables. Slight adjustments will be made to historical figures in time series charts if and when updated employment information about actual prior periods is obtained.

1 The SMBeat has slightly changed the monthly reporting cycle to end on the 12th of the month, which mirrors the methodology of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.