County unemployment rises again

By Staff
Jonathan Willis
Franklin County's unemployment rate continued its recent trend in May, rising to 11.4 percent.
That figure represents a small increase from April's rate of 11.1 percent, but it more than doubles the 5.2 percent unemployment rate of May 2008.
The county is middle of the pack among the state's 67 counties, currently with the 27th highest unemployment rate in the state.
Alabama Department of Industrial Relations Director Tom Surtees announced Friday that Alabama's unemployment rate for May rose to 9 percent. This is an increase from April's rate of 9 percent.
May's rate represents 208,917 unemployed persons. Wage and salary employment totaling 1,915,500, was virtually unchanged for the month, with an increase of 100 jobs.
Sectors experiencing gains in May were leisure and hospitality, education and health services, trade, transportation, and utilities, and professional and business services.
Sectors experiencing losses were manufacturing, construction, government, financial
activities and information.
Counties with the lowest unemployment rate were: Shelby at 6.6 percent, Madison at 6.9 percent and Coffee at 7.4 percent.
Counties with the highest unemployment rate were: Wilcox at 23.9 percent, Lowndes at 18 percent and Dallas at 17.7 percent.
"Since last month's rate held steady at 9 percent, we had hoped that we would continue to see a stabilization in Alabama's unemployment rate. Unfortunately, the nation is still gripped in a serious recession, and Alabama is not immune to its effects," Surtees said. "We are pleased to announce that the maximum weekly benefit amount will increase next month for new claimants. Hopefully, those extra dollars combined with the additional $25 a week federal benefit, will help our unemployed citizens get through these tough economic times."
Alabama's maximum weekly benefit amount is scheduled to increase by $10, from $255 a week to $265 a week, on July 5. This is the second of two scheduled increases that were passed into law by the legislature in 2008.
Only new claims filed on or after July 5, 2009, will be eligible for the additional $10.
All claimants currently receiving unemployment compensation benefits are eligible for the