Business and Economy: Unemployment rate remains at 6.1 percent

Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

Unemployment held at 6.1 percent in September, completing a 12-month cycle that saw the ranks of the unemployed grow by 2.2 million Americans.

Among the interesting tidbits in the data released by the U.S. Department of Labor this morning:

- The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) stands at 2 million, more than 700,000 people higher than September 2007.

- Unemployment among African-Americans was at 11.4 percent; among Hispanics it was 7.8 percent; among whites it was 5.4 percent; and among Asians it was 3.8 percent.

- Overall, 9.4 million Americans seeking employment are currently out of work.

- The number of Americans working part-time for economic reasons rose by 337,000 to 6.1 million in September. That is an increase of 1.6 million since September 2007.

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