Comments (0) |

N.C.'s jobless rate rose to 7% in October

By Jonathan B. Cox
(Raleigh) News & Observer

The number of N.C. workers without jobs rose last month as employers failed to keep pace with a rising labor force.

In October, unemployment was 7 percent in North Carolina, according to data released this morning by the N.C. Employment Security Commission. That's up from a revised 6.9 percent rate for September.

Previously, the agency reported a 7 percent rate for September.

By one measure, the number of people employed in the state increased by 5,076 during the month, a positive sign amid the most sluggish economy in years. But the number of people wanting work rose by 5,988, pushing the unemployment rate higher.

"We are encouraged by the increase in employment for the third time in four months," ESC Chairman Harry E. Payne Jr. said in a statement. But "global and national trends continue to impact the state's economy and employment picture."

Disclaimer