Newsroom & Media Center

State Unemployment Rate Drops for Ninth Consecutive Month

 

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Commissioner of Labor & Workforce Development Karla Davis announced today Tennessee’s unemployment rate for April fell to 7.8 percent, down from the March revised rate of 7.9 percent. The national unemployment rate for April 2012 was 8.1 percent, 0.1 percentage point lower than the March rate.

 

“While Tennessee’s unemployment rate has declined for nine consecutive months, April’s decrease is mostly attributable to a shrinking labor force,” said Commissioner Davis. “This is similar to the monthly change that occurred on the national level.”

 

Economic Summary:

·         The unemployment rate has declined for nine consecutive months.

·         Tennessee’s April unemployment rate is the lowest since November 2008.

·         The number of unemployed persons is the lowest since November 2008.

·         The number of unemployed persons has declined for 16 consecutive months.

·         The labor force has declined for four consecutive months.

 

Seasonally Adjusted Nonfarm Employment – Business Survey
(Numbers in thousands)	April 2011	Revised Mar. 2012	Preliminary April 2012	Change from April 2011 to April 2012	Change from Mar. 2012 to April 2012
Total Nonfarm	2,652.5	2,694.1	2,695.8	43.3	1.7
Mining/logging/construction	108.2	115.1	113.9	5.7	-1.2
Manufacturing	303.6	310.2	312.0	8.4	1.8
Trade/transportation/utilities	561.7	557.3	558.9	-2.8	1.6
Information	44.3	44.2	44.1	-0.2	-0.1
Financial activities	135.1	135.5	135.2	0.1	-0.3
Professional/business services	320.5	329.4	327.6	7.1	-1.8
Education/health services	379.8	388.9	389.3	9.5	0.4
Leisure/hospitality	265.7	270.3	271.8	6.1	1.5
Other services	101.7	101.9	101.8	0.1
Government	431.9	441.3	441.2	9.3	-0.1

 

 

 

-# # #-