Virginia’s jobless rate remains unchanged in October

Published November 22, 2013 by Robert Powell, III

Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for October was 5.6 percent, unchanged from September, according to the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC).

The jobless rate is two tenths of a percentage point lower than the October 2012 rate, 5.8 percent.

The steady level of unemployment in Virginia in September and October followed four straight months (April through August) of rising unemployment in which the rate increased from 5.2 percent to 5.8 percent.

The VEC noted in its unemployment report that “October figures were affected by the partial government shutdown” as a result of a congressional impasse on raising the debt ceiling.

The Virginia jobless rate for October was well below the national seasonally adjusted rate of 7.3 percent for the same month. The national rate had declined sixth tenths of a percentage point from October 2012.