Delaware unemployment down for the first time in months

Efforts to improve Delaware’s unemployment rate were discussed at length during a pair of gubernatorial debates this week, but new numbers from the Department of Labor show the unemployment rate dropped slightly in September.

Delaware’s unemployment rate for September is 6.8%, down one tenth of a percent from the August rate of 6.9%.  The number of Delawareans collecting unemployment now stands at 29,975 for September, down slightly from 30,196 in August.  

September is the first month the unemployment rate has gone down since June, when the rate was 6.7%.  The rate was up slightly in July to 6.8% and up again in August to 6.9%.

Governor Jack Markell has taken criticism from Republican challenger Jeff Cragg this week during a pair of debates.  Cragg  says Markell has focused on trying to lure big employers to the state at the expense of small business.  Markell countered that when a big employer adds jobs, those workers are multiplied at restaurants and other small businesses who increase their workforce.