Commissioner of Labor & Workforce Development Karla Davis announced last week that Tennessee’s unemployment rate for April was 9.6 percent, up 0.1 from the March rate.
The national unemployment rate for April 2011 was 9.0 percent, 0.2 percentage point higher than the March rate.
“Tennessee’s unemployment rate experienced a 0.1 percentage point increase from March because of a substantial increase in the number of people looking for a job,” said Labor Commissioner Karla Davis. 

Major Changes in Estimated Nonagricultural Employment
March 2011 to April 2011

According to the Business Survey, leisure and hospitality increased by 7,800 jobs; trade, transportation and utilities increased by 4,800 jobs; and administrative, support, and waste services increased by 2,400 jobs.
Major employment decreases occurred in local government, down by 1,900; professional, scientific, and technical services declined by 900; healthcare and social assistance by 500, and finance and insurance declined by 500 jobs.

Major Changes in Estimated Nonagricultural Employment
April 2010 to April 2011

Year-over-year increases occurred in educational and health services, up by 8,600; trade, transportation, and utilities gained 7,300; and professional and business services was up by 5,900.  Year-over-year decreases occurred in government, down by 5,500; nondurable goods manufacturing lost 1,800; and other services decreased by 900.
DeKalb County's rate of unemployment for April was at 9.6 percent, up slightly from the March rate of 9.4 percent, but still well below the rate of 10.3 percent recorded in April, 2010.
The local labor force for April was counted at 10,090.
A total of 9,120 people were employed in DeKalkb County, and 970 found themselves out of work.
DeKalb County tied with Smith County for the third lowest jobless rate among the fourteen Upper Cumberland counties, for the month of April.
Pickett County had the highest regional rate at 14.7 percent, Van Buren had a  12.1 percent rate for April, Clay came in at 11.7 percent, White had an 11.6 percent rate, Fentress was at 11.5 percent, and Warren County’s rate was 11.3 percent.
Cumberland County had a rate of 10.9 percent for the month, Overton was at 10.8, Macon was at 10.7, Jackson County registered a 10.6 percent rate.
DeKalb and Smith enjoyed the aformentioned tie at 9.6 percent, Cannon was at 9.1, and Putnam enjoyed the lowest regional rate for April at 9 percent.
County non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for April show that the rate decreased in 46 counties and increased in 41 counties, while staying the same in eight counties.
Tennessee's unemployment rate for April was 9.6 percent, up 0.1 from the March rate. The national unemployment rate for April 2011 was 9.0 percent, 0.2 percentage point higher than the March rate.
Lincoln County registered the state's lowest county unemployment rate at 6.6 percent, up from the March rate of 6.1 percent, followed by Williamson County at 7.0 percent, up from 6.4 percent.
Scott County had the state's highest unemployment rate at 22.1 percent, up from 21.8 percent in the previous month, followed by Marshall County at 14.9 percent, down from the March rate of 15.0 percent.
Knox County had the state's lowest major metropolitan rate of 7.7 percent, up from 7.0 percent in March.
Hamilton County was 8.2 percent, up from 8.1 percent the previous month.
Davidson County was 8.8 percent, up from 8.3 percent in March, and Shelby County was 10 percent, unchanged from the rate in March.