Unemployment Creeps Upward For Another Month

Sept. 29—RALEIGH — Bladen County saw its unemployment rate inch upward again in August to 13.0 percent. That follows a jump upward in July to a rate of 12.8 percent.

Just one year ago, the jobless rate was 13.4 percent in Bladen. The rate of change over the past year is a decrease of 0.4 percent.

Bladen County was the only county locally to see an increase in the unemployment numbers. Many counties across the state reported mixed results in the unemployment rates.

Columbus County saw its rate decrease to 12.8 percent in August. That follows a decrease in July to 13.1 percent. That follows an increase of about 1 percent to 13.3 percent for the month of June. One year ago Columbus County reported an unemployment rate of 14.4 percent. The rate of change over the past year has been a decrease of 1.6 percent.

Robeson County also reported its unemployment rate decreased slightly to 13.6 percent. That follows a steady rate of 13.9 percent for both June and July. That follows an increase to 12.9 percent in May. One year ago, Robeson County's unemployment rate was reported to be 14.6 percent. The rate of change over the past year is a decrease of 1.0 percent.

All three counties remain above both the state and national unemployment rates for August. The state of North Carolina reported its rate to be 9.7 percent in August. The U.S. unemployment rate decreased to 8.1 percent for August.

In August, Bladen County had 1,992 workers who were classified as unemployed and claimed a labor force of 15,280. Columbus County had 3,040 workers classified as unemployed. Robeson County had 7,537 workers classified as unemployed. Robeson County claimed a labor force of 55,257 and Columbus County claimed a labor force of 23,688.

Statewide for the month of August, 42 counties reported an unemployment rate between 5 and 10 percent and 57 counties reported a rate of 10 percent of higher. Only one county reported an unemployment of 5 percent or less.

Statewide for the month of July, 35 counties reported an unemployment rate between 5 and 10 percent and 64 counties reported a rate of 10 percent of higher. Only one county reported an unemployment of 5 percent or less.

North Carolina had paid a total of $98 million in unemployment benefits and classified 100,861 individuals as unemployed for the month of August a decrease 10,111 of claimants since July. Regular Initial Claims for Unemployment Insurance totaled 51,446 in August decreasing 12,768 from July. State and federal unemployment programs have paid $3,124,052,503 in total unemployment benefits for the period September 2011 through August 2012. The Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund balance at the end of August was in the red ($2,370,418,386). The State Reserve Fund balance was $119,851,872.

___

(c)2012 the Bladen Journal (Elizabethtown, N.C.)

Visit the Bladen Journal (Elizabethtown, N.C.) at www.bladenjournal.com

Distributed by MCT Information Services