Unemployment numbers are up in Freeborn County, as they are in many other parts of Minnesota, even though the state as a whole is still in better shape than many other parts of the nation.

Saturday, February 23, 2002

Unemployment numbers are up in Freeborn County, as they are in many other parts of Minnesota, even though the state as a whole is still in better shape than many other parts of the nation.

According to data compiled by the Minnesota Workforce Center, the January unemployment rate in Freeborn County is 5.5 percent, or approximately 946 unemployed workers. By comparison, last December’s unemployment rate was 4.9 percent. One year ago it was at 4.3 percent.

The rate statewide for January is 4.9 percent and nationally the rate is 6.3 percent. Of other counties in the area, Steele and Mower counties both had unemployment rates lower than the state average, at 4.7 and 4.1 percent respectively. Faribault has the same rate as Freeborn County.

By comparison, last year’s average for Freeborn County was 4.5 percent.

Regionally, there were job losses in most job categories.

Unemployment rates are actually an index based on a sampling of work force numbers. They do not reflect people who have stopped working to go to school or who have retired. The rate also does not show how many people have stopped looking for work.

Despite the bad news about current unemployment rates, some area employers still plan on hiring new employees over the next few months, according to information from a survey completed by Manpower Inc.

&uot;Of companies responding to the Second Quarter Employment Outlook Survey, 30 percent will recruit more workers during April, May and June,&uot; said local Manpower spokeswoman Mary Hacker, &uot;while none expect to cut back and 63 percent report no changes are anticipated. Another 7 percent are unsure at this time.&uot;

For the similar period last year, 40 percent of employers had forecast adding staff and 7 percent predicted personnel reductions. Three months ago, the outlook showed 17 percent projecting more hires, while 3 percent indicated employment levels would decrease.

This spring, the survey shows that hiring appears most likely in durable and non-durable goods manufacturing, transportation/public utilities, wholesale/retail trade and services. Other sectors are expected to remain stable.

Minnesota Workforce’s figures are not as recent, but as of November 2001 they show an overall job vacancy rate – or jobs needing to be filled – of 4 percent for the southeast region of the state, which includes Albert Lea and Freeborn County. The vacancy rate ranged from a high of 17 percent in health care support to a low of 1 percent in agriculture, clerical, business operations and computers.