State ranks fourth for jobless claims increase

March 1, 2012 | Filed under: Headlines | Posted by: Brian R. Hook

While weekly unemployment claims decreased nationally, jobless claims increased in Missouri.

U.S. Department of Labor on Twitter

Missouri Department of Economic Development on Twitter

The state ranked fourth for the largest increase in initial weekly unemployment claims for last week, according to data by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Initial claims increased by 438 in Iowa, 285 in North Carolina, 81 in New Mexico and 56 in Missouri. Nationally, claims dropped by 2,000.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon touted the state “added more than 21,000 new jobs” in January, in a prepared statement on Tuesday soon after the Missouri Department of Economic Development reported an unemployment rate of 7.5 percent.

The department, however, would not respond to questions and did not release the data until Thursday, after Missouri Journal filed a Sunshine Law request.

The increase of 21,100 seasonally adjusted, nonfarm payrolls is compared to December, according to the data. Compared to January of last year, payrolls dropped by 4,100.

Meanwhile, the civilian labor force dropped 11,027 compared to December and 11,532 compared to January of last year. To be considered unemployed, a person must be actively seeking employment.

By Brian R. Hook, brhook@missourijournal.com, (314) 482-7944

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