Unemployment rate up full percentage point

The unemployment rate in St. Landry Parish jumped a full percentage point in January, according to the Louisiana Dept. of Labor’s monthly report.

The St. Landry rate reached 5.2 percent, meaning there were about 1,900 persons looking for, but unable to find, work. That is about 350 more persons than were similarly situated in December.

The unemployment rate a month earlier was 4.2 percent and was 4.8 percent in January of 2007.

In January 2008, there were 34,817 persons working in St. Landry.

Statewide, the unemployment rate in January 2008 was 4.0 percent, unchanged from December and up from the 3.8 percent of a year earlier.