County unemployment rate above state average

By Staff
Jonathan Willis
The number of unemployed county residents has nearly doubled since the same time last year.
Figures released by the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations Friday shows the county unemployment rate at 12.5 percent. That is almost twice as much as the 2008 average of 6.7 percent. That number represents 1,622 unemployed county residents.
Alabama Department of Industrial Relations Director Tom Surtees
announced Friday that Alabama's July unemployment rate rose to 10.2 percent, up from June's rate of 10.1 percent. This figure represents 215,377 unemployed persons.
July's total nonagricultural wage and salary employment decreased by 12,900, with most
of the monthly downturn resulting from seasonal losses in the educational component of
local government. Other sectors experiencing losses were financial activities,
construction, information, and education and health services. Sectors experiencing
gains were leisure and hospitality, professional and business services and
manufacturing.
Counties with the lowest unemployment rates were Shelby at 7.6 percent, Madison at 7.9 percent and Baldwin at 8.5 percent.
Counties with the highest unemployment rates were Wilcox at 24.9 percent, Dallas at 21.1 percent and Perry at 20 percent.
"Although we still experienced an increase in our unemployment rate, it's not nearly as
large a gain as we have been seeing this year, on a month-to-month basis," Surtees said.
"The important thing for unemployed Alabamians to remember is that there is help
available to them, and we at the Department of Industrial Relations are here to make sure
they receive all the benefits for which they qualify."
Last week, the Alabama legislature passed a law to add up to an additional 20 weeks of
emergency benefits for Alabama's unemployed. These federally funded benefits are
available to anyone who has exhausted all 59 weeks of their benefits on or after March
29. Claimants who are eligible for additional benefits will be notified in writing by DIR by Aug. 28 and given instructions on how to file for the benefits.