While unemployment fell nationally in the month of June, here in Arizona it ticked upward to 4.9%.
Between May and June, the state’s unemployment rate went up by 0.1%, while it went down nationally by the same amount.
"Although June typically brings substantial seasonal job losses, this year’s employment change was stronger than historical norms, suggesting employers maintained hiring demand across several industries heading into the second half of the year," said Doug Walls with the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity.
The agency reported that Arizona’s seasonally adjusted labor force fell by about 73,000 jobs, about a 2% drop since last June.
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