Unemployment dips

The county’s jobless claims dropped by almost half a point in October, down to 8.7 percent.
That is a slight decrease from September’s reported totals of 9.1 percent and represents 43 fewer county residents who received unemployment.
Gov. Robert Bentley on Friday announced that Alabama’s preliminary October unemployment rate is 8.1 percent, down from September’s revised rate of 8.2 percent.  This rate is below last October’s rate of 8.5 percent.
The October 2012 rate represents 175,013 unemployed persons statewide, down from 177,632 last month and 186,251 in October 2011.
“These numbers show more Alabamians have jobs, and that’s an encouraging sign we’re headed in the right direction. Our efforts to attract more jobs for people across the state will continue,” Bentley said.
“The recent approval of Amendment 2 will help us in our efforts to bring in new companies and encourage existing companies to expand and hire more people.”
“This month, everything worked out the way we wish it would always work out,” Alabama Labor Commissioner Tom Surtees said.
“Our labor force grew, the number of Alabamians working increased, and the number of those unemployed decreased.”
The counties with the lowest unemployment rates were: Shelby County at 5.4 percent, Coffee County at 6.6 percent, Madison County at 6.6 percent, Lee County at 6.7 percent, and St. Clair County at 6.7 percent.
The counties with the highest unemployment rates were: Wilcox County at 17.6 percent, Bullock County at 16.2 percent and Dallas County at 14.8 percent.
In northwest Alabama, unemployment claims were as follows: Lauderdale County at 7 percent, Colbert County at 7.8 percent, Lawrence County at 8.1 percent, Marion County at 9.4 percent and Winston County at 10.4 percent.