The state’s unemployment rate increased to 9.1 percent in August from 8.8 percent in July, the state Office of Labor and Workforce Development said.
Jobs were down by 400 during the month with the construction and financial services industries reporting the largest declines. Job gains were reported for the professional, scientific and business services sector, as well as the education and health sciences sector.
The national unemployment rate was 9.7 percent in August compared to 9.4 percent the prior month.
In the state, there are 150,700 fewer jobs than there were a year ago, a decline of 3.2 percent.
