September/October Unemployment Rate 8.4 Percent

TENNESSEE UNEMPLOYMENT RATES DELAYED DUE TO FEDERAL SHUTDOWN

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Labor & Workforce Development Commissioner Burns Phillips announced today Tennessee’s unemployment rate for both September and October is 8.4 percent, which is one tenth of one percentage point lower than the August revised rate. The national unemployment rate for October 2013 was 7.3 percent, up one tenth of one percentage point from September. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provides unemployment data to states each month including household and business surveys that contribute toward the monthly calculation. The BLS delayed release of state rate information due to the recent federal shutdown, but normal monthly rate announcements will resume in December.

Economic Summary:

• Tennessee's preliminary October unemployment rate was 8.4 percent, unchanged from the revised September rate.
• Tennessee’s preliminary September rate was 8.5 percent, but was revised to 8.4 percent.
• Total nonfarm employment increased 8,000 jobs from September to October. The largest increases occurred in trade/transportation/utilities, accommodation/food services, and professional/business services.
• Over the year, nonfarm employment increased 33,200 jobs. The largest increases occurred in leisure/hospitality, retail trade, and professional/business services.
  
   

The revised schedule for state and county unemployment rate releases can be found at http://www.tn.gov/labor-wfd/news/tfs.shtml. Contact Jeff Hentschel at (615)253-4251 or jeff.hentschel@tn.gov if you would like to receive all department press releases by e-mail.

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