Unemployment headed back up in November in area counties. In Marion County, unemployment jumped six-tenths of a percent to 5.6-percent. That translates into 930 unemployed in the total workforce of 16,748. Because the size of the labor force declined by 914 people from October, the actual number of people unemployed fell from 987 in October even though the rate was up. Unemployment was up 1.4-percent from last November.
Washington County has the lowest unemployment rate at 2.8-percent. That’s a jump of three-tenths of a percent from October and is seven-tenths of a percent higher than in November a year ago. Clinton County’s rate jumped four-tenths of a percent from October to 3.4-percent. It is up nine-tenths of a percent from a year ago. Jefferson County’s rate increased six-tenths of a percent to 5.6-percent. The rate was 1.4-percent lower in November a year ago. Fayette County’s rate
increased six-tenths of a percent to 4.7-percent. It is up nine-tenths of a percent from last November. Clay Count’s rate increase eight-tenths of a percent to five percent. That’s up 1.2-percent from last November.
The State Department of Employment Security reports a decrease of 3,900 jobs in the Centralia-Mt. Vernon labor market since November of last year. The largest decline was in manufacturing, with a loss of 1,325 jobs. Educational and health services declined 825 jobs. Leisure and hospitality lost 750 jobs. Government positions were down 300. There was no professional area that saw an increase in jobs.
All area counties had an unemployment rate well under the state average of 6.5- percent.
