Jobless rate rises in September
JUNEAU - Alaska's unemployment rate rose to 6.3 percent in September, up more than a percent from the figure a year ago, the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development reported Thursday.
Juneau's unemployment rose to 4.6 percent from 4.4 percent a year ago.
Alaska unemployment rose less than a percentage point from August as tourism and other seasonal jobs left the state, the labor department said. Unemployment in August was 5.8 percent.
Despite the significant jump in the unemployment rate from September 2001, the state added 3,400 new jobs during that period, the labor department said. Alaska's labor force grew by nearly 11,000 during that period.
The construction industry added 1,000 new jobs since September 2001, a 6 percent increase, and the service area and retail trade also added 3,000 jobs. Government added 1,700 jobs, led by strong growth in employment at the University of Alaska campuses. The oil and gas industries, seafood processing and logging accounted for the most job losses, the department said.