NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP/WMOT) — Tennessee's unemployment rate for February was 7.8 percent, up a tenth from January’s figure.
The state's jobless rate has risen the past two months, up from 7.6 percent in December.
The Department of Labor’s Jeff Hentschel says at least some of the increase can be attributed to seasonal factors.
“We are talking about February, so there are still some seasonal losses in areas like construction and retail just cause it’s on the tail end after the holidays. So, things like construction would expect to pick up as we get into the warmer weather."
Tennessee’s latest unemployment rate is a full tenth of a point above the national jobless rate, which currently stands at 7.7 percent.
On a more positive note, federal statistics out this morning, show that the mid-state enjoyed one of the best employment growth rates of any metropolitan area in the nation, up 3.6 percent in the past year.