LANSING, MI (WTVB) – The Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget reported this week that Branch County joined most other places in the state in seeing a drop in unemployment during November when compared to the previous month.
Branch County’s jobless rate stood at 3.1% which was down from the October rate of 3.9%..
Figures released Thursday showed that Branch County’s unemployment rate tied for the 24th lowest among the 83 Michigan counties. Ottawa and Washtenew Counties tied for the lowest rate at 2.2%. Mackinac County had the highest rate at 9.7%.
As for neighboring counties, the Calhoun County November unemployment rate was 3.2%, Hillsdale County was at 3.3%, while St. Joseph County was at 3.4%.
Michigan’s non-seasonally adjusted employment rates fell in 11 of the state’s 17 major labor markets.
Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives Director Jason Palmer said the lower rates were expected because of worker recalls associated with the end of the UAW strike against General Motors. He added some other regions exhibited typical seasonal jobless rate increases over the month.
The state’s unemployment rate of 3.4% in November was down a tenth of a percentage point from October and two tenths from a year ago.
