Arkansas unemployment rate closed out year with a one-tenth bump for December

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The latest report from the Arkansas Department of Commerce shows unemployment in the state took a jump in December.

Unemployment in Arkansas for December moved from 4.1% to 4.2%, according to the report. This was the opposite of the national trend, where unemployment dropped a tenth of a percent to 4.4%.

Arkansas’ civilian labor force grew by 5,162 in December, reaching a record of 1,444,246. Employment increased by 3,541, also setting a new high in the report. The number of unemployed residents rose by 1,621, contributing to an uptick in the state’s jobless rate. Strong labor‑force activity pushed the participation rate to 59.0% for the month.

The full article is available at ozarksfirst.com.

(Story by Alex Kienlen, ozarksfirst.com)