January 2007 Unemployment Figures - State

NASHVILLE - Tennessee’s unemployment rate for the month of January is 4.8 percent, down from the seasonally adjusted December 2006 rate of 4.9 percent, Commissioner of Labor & Workforce Development James Neeley announced today. In 2006, Tennessee’s unemployment rate for the month of January was 5.2 percent. The national unemployment rate for January is 4.6 percent, up from the December rate of 4.5 percent.

“We begin 2007 with the unemployment rate at a better place than we were a year ago,” said Commissioner Neeley. “The household survey shows a 2.9 percent growth in employment from 2006. In the business survey, we typically see significant seasonal declines in retail trade and professional business services from December to January.”

The December-to-January business survey shows employment increases in plastic and rubber products manufacturing up 1,900 jobs from a strike ending and employment in machinery manufacturing also increased by 1,800 from a temporary layoff ending. Hospital employment increased 500 jobs. Seasonal month-to-month employment decreases took place in trade, transportation and utilities with 21,800 jobs lost. Professional and business services employment lost 14,700 jobs and government jobs decreased by 8,800 jobs.

From January 2006 to January 2007, leisure and hospitality jobs increased by 8,700. Jobs in construction rose by 8,200 and educational and health services jobs increased by 7,600. Employment decreased in textile mills, products and apparel by 1,700, furniture and related products by 1,500 and machinery manufacturing jobs by 1,300.

More information at http://www.state.tn.us/labor-wfd/news/january2007state.htm