Jobless rate down slightly
Published 9:45 am Monday, August 22, 2011
Escambia County’s unemployment rate was down slightly last month, from 12.4 percent in June to 11.9 percent in July.
The state rate increased slightly, from 9.9 percent in June to 10 percent in July.
Alabama Department of Industrial Relations Director Tom Surtees said July’s rate represents 215,902 unemployed persons, compared to 213,886 last month and 194,194 in July 2010.
“While we are disappointed to report any increase in our seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, we are encouraged by the jobs coming into the state,” Surtees said. “There are significantly more Alabamians working in July than in January this year. In addition, we continue to see more discouraged workers resuming their job search, with more unemployed active job seekers in July. So while we have seen more jobs, we have also seen more job seekers as well,” he continued.
Escambia County’s unemployment rate represents 1,780 people unemployed, down from 1,873 in June. The labor force was also down slightly, from 15,085 in June to 14,948 in July.
The counties with the highest unemployment rates were: Wilcox County at 23.3 percent, Perry County at 20.5 percent and Dallas County at 19.9 percent.