County unemployment up

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Bedford County's unemployment rate rose for the month of September to 7.1 percent, according to preliminary data released by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

But the figures do not reflect the impact last week's announcement that Summit Polymers, Inc. will be closing its doors, leaving 263 without work.

Data released by the state's labor department show that Bedford County had a labor force of 23,080, with 21,450 working and 1,630 unemployed.

However, if the total job loss from Summit were added to September's preliminary figures, the county's unemployment rate would climb to 8.2 percent. Summit plans to close its doors in January.

Tennessee's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for September was at 7.2 percent, 0.6 percentage point higher than the August rate of 6.6 percent. The United States unemployment rate for the month of September was 6.1 percent. The September rate for Tennessee a year ago was 4.9 percent.

"The downturn in the national economy is affecting all states," said James Neeley, Tennessee Commissioner of Labor & Workforce Development.

"Tennessee, like the rest of the nation, is experiencing job losses across all industries. There were some small gains in education and health services and local government education jobs."

The business survey shows August-to-September gains in government employment, increasing by 10,700; educational and health services added 2,700 jobs; professional and business services increased by 2,400. Seasonal declines included leisure and hospitality, losing 5,000 jobs; trade, transportation and utilities lost 2,400; and manufacturing jobs decreased by 1,600.

From September 2007 to September 2008, educational and health services added 6,100 jobs. Local government educational services employment increased by 1,900. From 2007 manufacturing was down by 10,000. Professional and business services lost 6,800 jobs; leisure and hospitality lost 5,700.

County non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for September show that 84 counties increased. The rate decreased in seven counties and remained the same in four counties.

Williamson County registered the state's lowest county unemployment rate at 5.0 percent, up 0.3 percentage point from the August rate. Perry County had the state's highest at 16.8 percent, up from 16.2 in August, followed by Johnson County at 13.6 percent, up from 8.0 percent in August.

Knox County had the state's lowest major metropolitan rate at 5.3 percent, up 0.3 percentage point from the September rate. Davidson County was 5.9 percent, up from 5.6 the previous month. Hamilton County was at 6.1 percent the same as the August rate, and Shelby County was 7.4 percent, up from the August rate of 7.1.