1st R.I. jobless rate increase since Dec. 09

By PBN Staff

PROVIDENCE – The state Department of Labor and Training announced Friday that the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for November was 10.5 percent, up one-tenth of a percentage point from the previous month.

This represents the first monthly increase in the unemployment rate since December 2009. However, the November 2011 rate was down a full percentage point from the previous November, representing the 14th consecutive month of year-over-year decreases in the state’s unemployment rate.

The U.S. unemployment rate was 8.6 percent in November, down four-tenths of a percentage point from the previous month and down one and two-tenth percentage points from November 2010.

The number of unemployed Rhode Island residents increased by 500 compared to October, rising to 59,200 people classified as available for and actively seeking employment. This was the first over-the-month increase since March 2010. During the year, the number of unemployed Rhode Island residents dropped by 7,000.