Unemployment edges up across the UC

By Michelle Price
Special to the UCBJ

UPPER CUMBERLAND – Unemployment across the Upper Cumberland rose 0.1 percentage point to 4.5% for the month of May 2021, according to new data from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Even with the rise, the U.C. remained lower than both the Tennessee rate of 4.6% and the nation at 5.5%.

Only two U.C. counties had lower rates in May than April. Overton dropped 0.1 percentage point to 3.9% and Van Buren dropped 0.3 percentage points to 5.3%

Three counties kept their unemployment level: Fentress (4.2%), Smith (3.8%) and White (4.3%)

Nine counties in the region had their unemployment edge upwards in May, Cannon (3.9%), Clay (5.5%), Cumberland (5.1%), DeKalb (5.2%), Jackson (4.7%), Macon (4.2%), Pickett (4.4%), Putnam (4.2%) and Warren (5.4%).

The U.C. region has 151,825 people in its workforce. There are currently 6,875 unemployed. 

In April, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported a record number of job openings across the nation. Jobs4TN.gov continues to have more than 250,000 available jobs posted, along with other job search resources that can help someone making the transition back into the workforce.

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