Unemployment increases locally
Unemployment rates for the month of June were recently released and showed Franklin County had an increase in unemployment from May to June.
Franklin County’s unemployment rate rose to 8.5 percent in June, which was an increase from May’s rate of 7.4 percent.
That total represents 1,089 local residents who are reported to be unemployed, which is up from 935 people the previous month. It’s also 43 more people than it was at the same time last year.
Statewide, the unemployment rate was reported to be the same in June as it was in May.
Gov. Robert Bentley announced on Friday that Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted June unemployment rate is 6.8 percent, which is unchanged from May’s rate.
June’s rate represents 144,991 unemployed persons, compared to 146,976 in May, a decrease of 1,985 persons.
“For Alabamians who want a job, we remain focused on helping them find and keep a job,” Bentley said.
“Just this week, we were able to announce three new projects resulting in hundreds of well-paying jobs for Alabamians. These jobs are a sign that existing companies are confident in the Alabama economy.”
Alabama’s economy generated approximately 5,000 more jobs when compared to Alabama’s wage and salary employment in June 2013.
Over the year, wage and salary employment increased 5,200, with gains in the manufacturing sector (+3,900), the leisure and hospitality sector (+2,700), the professional and business services sector (+2,300), and the education and health services sector (+900), among others. Monthly gains were seen in the manufacturing sector (+2,600), the trade, transportation, and utilities sector (+800), and the professional and business services sector (+600), among others.
JobLink (www.joblink.alabama.gov), Alabama’s free online jobs database, saw yet another record breaking month, as active job orders reached 27,268, up significantly from the 14,755 job orders recorded in June of last year. Truck drivers, retail supervisors, and registered nurses continue to account for the most in-demand jobs advertised online, according to the Help Wanted Online (HWOL) data.
Counties with the lowest unemployment rates are: Shelby County at 5.0 percent, Baldwin and Cullman Counties at 5.7 percent, and Lee and Cherokee Counties at 5.9 percent.
Counties with the highest unemployment rates are: Wilcox County at 17.2 percent, Perry County at 14.8 percent, and Dallas County at 14.3 percent.
In northwest Alabama, the reported unemployment totals are: Lauderdale County at 7.4 percent, Colbert County at 8.3 percent, Lawrence County at 8.5 percent, Marion County at 9.0 percent and Winston County at 9.1 percent.
