State: December unemployment rates rose in 16 of Michigan’s 17 major labor markets
By APThursday, January 28, 2010
State: Unemployment rises in most Michigan regions
LANSING, Mich. — Unemployment rates rose in December in 16 of Michigan’s 17 major labor markets.
The state said Thursday that seasonally unadjusted jobless rates increased everywhere except in the Detroit area.
Jobs were lost in several categories including construction, government, the service sector and the tourism industry.
The lowest jobless rate was 9 percent in the Ann Arbor region. The highest rate was 18.7 percent in the northeastern Lower Peninsula.
Average unemployment rates for 2009 were higher than in 2008 across the state.
Regional unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted. But national and state rates are adjusted to remove seasonal influences such as climate and production cycles.
Michigan’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate in December was a national high of 14.6 percent.
