The State of Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development release its latest unemployment numbers on Friday. While Alaska is still well under that national rate of 7.3 percent, the seasonally adjusted rate in August was 6.5 percent, which was up two-tenths of a percent from July.
The Department of Labor notes that Alaska’s rate declined significantly in the first half of 2013, but has been slowly creeping back to early 2013 levels. The increase in August is not large enough to suggest a change in the 2013 overall trend.
Bristol Bay and Skagway continue to have the lowest unemployment rates in the State at 1.9 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively. The rates were up slightly from July, which is typically the peak of fishing and tourism in those areas.
For detailed employment estimates, see http://live.laborstats.alaska.gov/ces/
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