MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT) -- Tennessee’s stubbornly high unemployment rate inched down slightly in September and October.
State Labor Commissioner Burns Phillips announced this week that Tennessee’s jobless ratefor both months dipped to 8.4 percent, down one tenth from August.
September and October were reported together, and somewhat later than usual, because of the federal shutdown in early October.
Early this year Tennessee’s unemployment rate rose steadily while the national rate continued to fall. The rate was largely unchanged over the summer months.
In early fall, Tennessee began adding jobs in the manufacturing, trade, transportation, professional services and hospitality sectors. The state lost jobs in construction, information and government services.
Tennessee’s unemployment rate still stands more than a full percentage point above the national jobless rate of 7.3 percent.