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August Unemployment Rate 10.8 Percent

Released on Thu, Sep 17, 2009 - 12:22 pm under

Rate Up 0.1 Percentage Point from July

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Commissioner of Labor & Workforce Development James Neeley announced today Tennessee’s unemployment rate for August was 10.8 percent, up 0.1 percentage point from the July rate of 10.7 percent. The August rate a year ago was 6.6 percent. The national unemployment rate for August 2009 was 9.7 percent, up from the July rate of 9.4 percent.

“The unemployment rate has been at approximately the same level for the past four months, which is consistent with a labor market that appears to be stabilizing,” reported Labor Commissioner James Neeley.

The unemployment rate of 10.8 percent is the highest since November 1983.

Major Changes in Estimated Nonagricultural Employment
July 2009 to August 2009

According to the Business Survey, 14,700 job gains occurred in local government educational services; 2,900 in administrative, support and waste services; and 1,500 in educational and health services. Major employment decreases occurred in mining and construction, down by 3,300; finance and insurance declined by 2,200 jobs; and durable goods manufacturing decreased by 1,300.

 
Major Changes in Estimated Nonagricultural Employment
August 2008 to August 2009

Year-over-year increases occurred in health care and social assistance, up by 8,900; local government increased 8,800; and arts, entertainment and recreation gained 2,100; manufacturing was down 41,800; trade transportation and utilities lost 29,600; and mining and construction decreased by 28,900. 

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