Employment Situation Continues to Brighten

By Glenn Collins
Friday, August 20, 2010 | 10:08 AM
https://hbtv.us/news/?story_id=412

MONTGOMERY -- The unemployment rate in Winston County continued its improvement in July, falling to 14.5%, down from June's 15.9% and near May of 2009's 14.4%. The statewide rate fell again, to 9.7%, the lowest since April, 2009.

Alabama Department of Industrial Relations Director Tom Surtees said, "We are happy to announce a drop in our unemployment rate." He added "This is the lowest rate we have seen in over a year. We’ve seen our rate stabilizing over the past several months, and, hopefully, July’s rate will be the beginning of a continual drop in Alabama’s unemployment."

Area counties and their July rates (June rates in parentheses): Cullman 8.6% (9.5%), Fayette 11.9% (14.0%), Franklin 9.9% (10.8%), Lawrence 10.6% (11.7%), Marion 13.2% (13.9%), Morgan 9.4% (10.1%), Walker 12.0% (10.5%).

The counties with the lowest unemployment rates were: Shelby at 6.8%, Madison at 7.3%, and Coffee at 7.4%. The counties with the highest unemployment rate were Wilcox at 21.9%, Greene at 19.0% and Dallas at 18.3%.