Jobless claims continue to drop

Franklin County’s unemployment dipped slightly again in October, reaching a low of 9.3 percent.

That is a slight decrease from September’s reported numbers of 9.5 percent and is down considerably from the 12.4 percent reported at the same time last year.

The 9.3 percent represents 1,230 county residents who filed jobless claims in October.

Though the percentage is a little more than some surrounding counties, the total number of unemployed people in Franklin County is the smallest in northwest Alabama.

Lauderdale County is at 8.3 percent, Colbert County is 8.4 percent, Lawrence is at 9.9 percent, Marion is 12.4 percent and Winston County is at 14.5 percent.

Alabama Department of Industrial Relations Director Tom Surtees announced Friday that Alabama’s state October unemployment rate remained unchanged at 8.9 percent. This rate is below the national average of 9.6 percent, and well below last year’s state

rate of 10.8 percent.

October’s rate represents 189,358 unemployed persons across the state, which is down from 224,708 at the same time last year.

“For nine consecutive months we have been able to announce that Alabama hasn’t seen

an increase in its monthly unemployment rate,” Surtees said.

“That is certainly a statistic that makes us happy. The department is continuing to pay less in benefits, and initial claims remain below 2008 and 2009 levels. These are all positive signs for Alabama’s economic recovery.”

Alabama’s monthly unemployment rate has remained unchanged or dropped since

January 2010, when the rate was 11.1 percent. Initial claims for October 2010 were 27,058, compared to 31,496 in October 2009, and 31,444 in October 2008. Monthly benefit payments were $31,194,425, compared to this year’s high of $52,229,706.

Wage and salary employment increased 1,800 over the month, with most of the upturn

resulting from gains in the government and construction industries.

Counties with the lowest unemployment rates were Shelby at 6.8 percent, Coffee at 7.1 percent and Madison at 7.1 percent.

Counties with the highest unemployment rates were Wilcox at 20.1 percent, Greene at 18.4 percent and Dallas at 17.2 percent.