The Ministry of Labor said that there was an increase of 10% in the number of persons employed full time. Some 33,586 companies registered their payrolls with the Ministry last year, up 14.61% from 1997. The companies declared they had 676,553 persons on their payrolls in 1998. Companies paid out RD$2,726 million in salaries, up RD$537 million over 1997. In 1998, some 80,688 new jobs were generated, or 29% more new jobs than in 1997. The number of women employed was up 36%, compared to the 25% increase in men employed. Women make up 42% of the employees of the manufacturing industry. Some 38% of all jobs were in the 38% manufacturing area, 26% in commerce and 39% in services companies. Minister Rafael Alburquerque said that worker benefits, in addition to wages, accounted for 38.10% of total salary last year. He also reported that in the past three years 187,958 jobs have been created. In 1997 62,348 jobs were created. In 1998, some 80,668 jobs were created. The Ministry was quoting statistics included in the newly released Bulletin No. 4 of Labor Statistics, 1998.
