Muskegon County unemployment down, but labor force also shrinks

Muskegon County unemployment down, but labor force also shrinks | MLive.com
Muskegon County’s unemployment rate fell by a full percentage point in August, but the number of people with a job also fell.
Muskegon County’s unemployment rate dropped to 9.1 percent in August, down from 10.1 percent in July and 10.0 percent a year ago.
At the same time, 1,290 people left the labor force and 945 fewer people were listed as employed.
The labor force is the number of adults working or looking for a job.
In August 2012, 898 fewer people were unemployed than in August 2011 and 448 fewer people had jobs.
Statewide, the unemployment rate fell from 10.3 percent in July to 9.2 percent in August.

In Ottawa County, the unemployment rate fell from 7.9 percent to 6.7 percent from July to August.
The county posted a small increase in the number of jobs, but apparently most of the jobless rate decrease came from unemployed workers ending their search for a job.