Tennessee’s Jobless Rate Jumps To 7.9%

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee’s unemployment rate jumped to 7.9 percent in December, nearly a full percentage point higher than the previous month.
The state Department of Labor and Workforce Development says about 15,400 people lost their jobs in December, a month that traditionally sees job gains because of the holiday season.
The higher unemployment figures come after Tennessee experienced two months of declining rates. The national unemployment rate in December was 7.2 percent.
Sectors with the highest job losses in Tennessee included construction, support services and manufacturing sectors.
About 240,000 people were without work in December. The November unemployment rate was 7 percent.
   
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)