Louisiana’s jobless rate increased and payrolls kept falling in September.
The Associated Press reports that the state’s 6.4% unemployment rate in September of this year—up from 6.3% in August and 6% in September 2015—is the third worst in the nation.
Alaska has the worst rate, at 6.9%. The nationwide jobless rate rose to 5% in September from 4.9% in August.
Though job seekers decreased, the number of unemployed Louisianans rose to 137,000 in September—3,000 above August and 10,000 above September 2015.
The separate payroll survey, used by many economists as their top labor market indicator, fell 3,000 from August to 1.97 million. Payrolls are 20,000 below September 2015 levels, signaling economic deterioration.
The U.S. Labor Department released both sets of figures today, adjusted to cancel out seasonal changes.
