Unemployment holds steady in November

Gov. Kay Ivey announced this month that Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally-adjusted November unemployment rate set a new record low of 3.5 percent, down from October’s previous record setting rate of 3.6 percent.

In Franklin County, the unemployment rate held steady – 3.3 percent in October and again in November, with 466 people unemployed in November according to information provided by the Alabama Department of Labor.

“This continued historic decline in our unemployment rate, coupled with the fact that Alabama’s businesses are employing more Alabamians than ever before, shows that we are truly moving forward and proving to everyone that Alabama is a great place to live and do business,” Ivey said. “We have 30,500 more jobs now than we did last year … and the number of unemployed has dropped by over 60,000 from last year –  the fewest number of people counted as unemployed in Alabama history.”

In Franklin County in November 2016, 785 people were reported as unemployed.

“All 67 counties experienced significant drops in their unemployment rates over the year,” said ADOL secretary Fitzgerald Washington. “2017 marks the first time in a decade that all counties’ unemployment rates have been in the single digits.”