June Unemployment Rate 8.5 Percent

TEMPORARY EDUCATION LAYOFFS ACCOUNT FOR LARGE SHARE OF EMPLOYMENT DECREASE
 

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Labor & Workforce Development Commissioner Burns Phillips announced today Tennessee’s preliminary unemployment rate for June is 8.5 percent, which increased two tenths of one percentage point from the May revised rate of 8.3 percent. The national unemployment rate for June 2013 was 7.6 percent, unchanged from the previous month.

Economic Summary:

• Tennessee's June unemployment rate increased to 8.5 percent.
• Over the past year, Tennessee's unemployment rate increased from 8.2 percent to 8.5 percent.
• Total nonfarm employment decreased 16,500 jobs from May to June. The largest decreases occurred in government, manufacturing, and health care/social assistance.
• Over the year, nonfarm employment increased 32,000 jobs. The largest increases were in professional/business services, leisure/hospitality, and retail trade.