County jobless rate plummets in August

By Staff
Jason Cannon, Franklin County Times
Franklin County's jobless rate plunged .4 percent for the month of August, settling at 4.7 percent.
The August rate represents a sharp decrease from July's 5.1 percent and a .2 percent decrease from August of 2006.
Statewide, the unemployment rate rose .1 percent to 3.8 percent.
"Between July and August, non-durable goods within the manufacturing sector lost 500 jobs statewide," Tom Surtees, Alabama Department of Industrial Relations director, said. "The 3.8 percent unemployment rate represents 82,681 unemployed Alabamians compared to 81,498 the previous month and 79,980 in August 2006."
Franklin County's rate represents 668 out of work residents, compared to 736 last month and 698 in August 2006. According the Department of Industrial Relations, there were 14,249 men and women listed in the Franklin County labor force last month.
The latest comparable national unemployment rate for August is 4.6 percent, unchanged from July.