Career center specialist Sun Gaddis, left, helps job seeker Kaston Joshua, center, while Rudy Martin looks on at WorkSource Oregon in Tualatin, Ore.By CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER
AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON – Three years since the recession ended, 43 states have yet to regain the jobs they lost in the downturn. The figure is a reminder of how weak the nation’s job market remains.
The states that are the furthest behind in job growth are those that were hit hardest by the housing bust, such as Arizona, Florida and Nevada.
Overall, the U.S. economy has 3.5 percent fewer jobs than it did before the recession began in December 2007. The national unemployment rate has been stuck at 8.2 percent.