Kentucky jobless rate rises to 10.7 percent | News | Kentucky Roofing Contractors Association

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Kentucky jobless rate rises to 10.7 percent

Kentucky's unemployment rate rose 0.1 percentage point to 10.7 percent in December 2009 despite a gain of 100 jobs, according to www.kentucky.com. This continues to remain higher than the national unemployment rate, which was 10 percent in December 2009.

The state's unemployment rate has been above 10 percent since May 2009; the unemployment rate in December 2008 was 7.6 percent.

Three of the 11 evaluated job sectors demonstrated growth in December 2009 and for the year as a whole—professional and businesses services, education and health services, and mining and logging. Four other sectors were down for the year but grew in December 2009.

The professional and business services sector experienced the biggest increase, gaining 4,900 jobs. The government sector had the second-largest increase with 700 jobs, and the financial activities sector increased by 500 jobs.

The leisure and hospitality sector experienced the largest losses in December 2009, shedding 4,700 jobs. Additionally, the construction sector lost 1,100 jobs; trade, transportation and utilities sector lost 700 jobs; and manufacturing sector lost 300 jobs, which is much less than it has shed during the past months.

1/22/2010