Jump in Oconee joblessness

A report today shows that two thousand members of the Oconee workforce are out of work but are looking to become gainfully employed again.  According to the Department of Employment and Workforce, the figure of 2,080 workers represents a 5.8% unemployment rate in June.  It was 5% in May.  In spite of eight-tenths of a percentage increase, there were nearly 34 thousand members of the county workforce on the job and drawing pay and benefits.  The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased in June to 5.4 percent from 5.6 percent in May, marking its lowest level since July 2001.Nationally, the unemployment rate increased by 0.2 percentage point to 4.9 percent in June as many people entered the labor.