September State Unemployment Rate 9.8 Percent

Rate Up 0.1 Percentage Point from August

Nashville, TN (2011-10-20) Tennessee Commissioner of Labor & Workforce Development Karla Davis announced today Tennessee’s unemployment rate for September was 9.8 percent, up from the August revised rate of 9.7. The national unemployment rate for September 2011 was 9.1 percent, unchanged from the August revised rate.

“The unemployment rate rose slightly due to a small decline in employment,” Commissioner Davis said. “There were seasonal gains in employment in areas like education, along with losses in leisure and hospitality. The net result was little change in the state’s employment picture.”

University of Tennessee Economist Bill Fox states there are positive indicators despite the increase in the unemployment rate. “There is some good news associated with the increase in durable goods manufacturing during the month. Year over year, Tennessee’s employment growth rate continues to show better performance than the nation.”

Month-to-month increases occurred in government, up 19,500 jobs; educational and health services was up 3,400; and durable goods manufacturing increased by 1,400. From August to September leisure and hospitality decreased by 5,500; administrative, support, and waste services was down 1,000; and merchant wholesalers of nondurable goods declined by 700 jobs.

Year-over-year increases took place in professional and business services, up 7,900 jobs; local government educational services was up 6,400; and educational and health services increased by 6,000. Employment decreases took place in retail trade, which decreased by 4,400; nondurable goods manufacturing was down 1,800; and federal government declined by 1,200.