County jobless claims slightly rise

Franklin County’s December unemployment rate basically held steady for the second consecutive month, rising slightly from 9.4 to 9.5 percent.

That represents 1,233 people who filed jobless claims. That is three more than November’s reported number.

The county’s jobless claims are down considerably from the 12.4 percent reported at the same time a year ago, however.

In northwest Alabama, Lauderdale County has a rate of 8.5 percent, Colbert is at 8.7 percent, Lawrence is 9.7 percent, Marion is 12.8 percent and Winston is at 14.3 percent.

Alabama Department of Industrial Relations Director Tom Surtees announced Friday that Alabama’s December 2010 unemployment rate is 9.1 percent, which is a slight increase from November’s statewide rate of 9 percent. The rate is significantly lower than the rate of 10.9 percent a year ago.

December’s rate represents 194,686 unemployed persons, compared to 192,335 last month and 224,175 in December 2009.

“Although we did see a small increase in our unemployment rate, we still remain below the national rate, and Alabama did see a net increase in jobs over the past 12 months,” Surtees said.

“The road coming out of this recession will be a bumpy one, and we have to be prepared to handle the bumps as they come along.”

Over the past 12 months, total nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased

2,600. The majority of these gains came from the leisure and hospitality sector, the trade, transportation and utilities sector and the government sector.

The counties with the lowest unemployment rates are Shelby County at 6.7 percent, Coffee County at 6.9 percent and Madison County at 7 percent.

The counties with the highest unemployment rates are Wilcox County at 20 percent, Greene County at 18 percent and Monroe County at 16 percent.