Arkansas jobless rate falls to 7.1% in April

Friday, May 17, 2013

Arkansas' unemployment rate dropped one-tenth of a percentage point in April to 7.1 percent, the state Department of Workforce Services announced Friday.

Citing labor-force data produced by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, the department said the civilian labor force grew by 900 workers, as 1,700 were put to work and 800 dropped out of the labor force.

"Employment in Arkansas increased 1,700 in April, the first employment gain since April 2012," department spokesman Kimberly Friedman said. "The increase, combined with the minor decline in unemployment, was enough to cause the rate to decrease to 7.1 percent."

Job expansions increased in eight major industry sectors, with the leisure and hospitality sector logging the biggest gains, the department added.

Read tomorrow's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.