US Job Growth Shines In California, Texas And Florida, Lags In New England States

All four major regions of the United States added more jobs in June than their averages of the past year, a monthly report by employee benefits firm ADP indicates.

California, Texas and Florida led the job gains with about 43,000, 36,000 and 23,000 jobs, respectively. Total private sector employment increased by 281,000 jobs from May to June, with small businesses adding more than 40 percent of the jobs, ADP said.

New England, which includes Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island and Connecticut, added the fewest jobs, about 9,000.

Job growth nationwide has strengthened this year, with a total 1.4 million jobs added in the first six months, the best gains in the first half of a year since 1999. But economists are quick to point out the recovery continues to travel at a snail's pace. Long-term unemployment is still twice as high as what it was before the recession.