Vermont’s
unemployment rate rose last month for the fourth consecutive month. The Department of
Labor says the 5.4 percent level in September was up a tenth of a
point from August.
The state’s unemployment rate dropped again giving Vermont one of the lowest rates in the country. But state
revenues have fallen for the third month in a row, creating a $14 million hole in next year’s budget.
Vermont labor officials say the state’s unemployment rate fell slightly in January to 5 percent. The
seasonally adjusted rate was a decrease of two-tenths of a percent from
December and 3.3 percent below the national rate for January of 8.3
percent.
Once a month, like clockwork, we hear an announcement about the state
unemployment rate. In
reality, the figure we hear is one of half a dozen unemployment figures the
state tracks, and it’s compiled in a way that might surprise you.