Unemployment rates drop across state

Unemployment rates decreased in all parishes in July as the state’s unadjusted civilian labor force grew by 5,942 to its highest July total ever, according to the Louisiana Workforce Commission.

Preliminary information for July 2009 show an unemployment rate of 6.6 percent, or 9,352 employed and 659 not working. That is down from June’s figure of 7.5 percent showing 9,148 employed with 740 not working.

Employment is also down from one year ago, with figures for July 2009 showing an 8.8 percent rate of unemployment with 9,222 working and 887 unemployed.