Education and Workforce Development Cabinet
Jobless rates up in 116 counties from November 2007 to November 2008

EDITOR’S NOTE: November’s preliminary and October’s revised county unemployment rate charts are posted at http://workforce.ky.gov/Nov08charts.pdf. Acrobat Reader is required to view charts. To download Acrobat Reader, please see the end of this news release.

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Unemployment rates rose in 116 Kentucky counties between November 2007 and November 2008, fell in three counties and stayed the same in one, according to the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training, an agency of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet.

Fayette County recorded the lowest jobless rate in the commonwealth at 4.8 percent. Other counties with low unemployment rates were Woodford County, 5 percent; Oldham and Warren counties, 5.4 percent each; Jessamine County, 5.6 percent; Boyd and Scott counties, 5.7 percent each; and Boone, Franklin, Hancock and Madison counties, 5.8 percent each.

Jackson County recorded the state’s highest unemployment rate — 11.8 percent. It was followed by Clay County, 10.5 percent; Magoffin and McCreary counties, 10.3 percent each; Wolfe County, 10.2 percent; Grayson and Menifee counties, 9.8 percent each; Union County, 9.7 percent; Russell County, 9.6 percent; and Morgan County, 9.3 percent.

Unemployment statistics are based on estimates and are compiled to measure trends rather than actually to count people working. Civilian labor force statistics include non-military workers and unemployed Kentuckians who are actively seeking work. They do not include unemployed Kentuckians who have not looked for employment within the past four weeks. The statistics in this news release are not seasonally adjusted to allow for comparisons between United States, state and county figures.

Learn more about the Office of Employment and Training at www.workforce.ky.gov.

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