North Carolina’s unemployment rate was up 0.1 of a percentage point to 5.4 percent in March, according to figures released by the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Labor and Economic Analysis Division on Tuesday. The national rate remained the same as February, at 5.5 percent.
When compared to March 2014, the state unemployment rate was down one percentage point from 6.4 percent.
The number of people employed in North Carolina increased 26,012 in March to a total of 4,455,283. The workforce also increased 118,628 since one year ago. However, the number of people unemployed also increased, by 5,926 to 253,510 in March, although the number of jobless claims declined 44,460 since March 2014.
The next unemployment update is scheduled for next Wednesday, April 29, when the county unemployment rates for March 2015 will be released.