Unemployment rate continues to rise

By Staff
Staff Editorial
Franklin County Times
The county's unemployment rate this month is up to near seven percent.
According to the September unemployment rates released by the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations, the county's unemployment rate is now 6.9 percent.
The state's level increased to 5.3 percent, up from the August rate of 4.9 percent.
"Even with this slight increase in the unemployment rate, Alabama's economy remains strong due to the continued creation of jobs in our state," said Tom Surtees, director of the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations.
The state added more than 2,500 jobs in the month, but Franklin County has continued to have layoffs at several plants, raising the unemployment level to more than the national average.