Delaware unemployment up to 8.7%
Friday, November 20th, 2009
By: Mark Eichmann
meichmann@whyy.org
The percentage of Delawareans filing for unemployment insurance benefits for the month of October was 8.7%. That's nearly half a percent increase from September's rate which was 8.3%. The news comes on the same day Valero announced plans to close the Delaware City refinery, resulting in 550 workers losing their jobs. Those numbers are not reflected in the latest unemployment report.
New Castle County still has the highest regional unemployment rate in the state at 8.7%. Unemployment in both Kent and Sussex County is at8.3%. For Sussex, unemployment jumped a full percentage point from September to October. Wilmington's unemployment rate is now up to 13.3%, up from last month's rate of 13%.
Since October 2008, more than 18,000 Delawareans have lost their jobs. The biggest losses in over the last year were in professional and business services, which were down 4,600. Wholesale and retail trade lost 3,600 jobs, while the manufacturing sector lost 3,400 jobs.
The national unemployment rate now stands at 10.2%, up from 9.8% last month.
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