UP unemployment up slightly

Just 25 people moving back and forth in the labor market influenced the latest jobless report Gogebic and Ontonagon County numbers for November.

According to the Bureau of Labor Market information, the jobless rate increased seasonally in 10 of the 15 U.P. counties in November.

Gogebic County registered just a small blip upward, rising from 4.2 percent to 4.3 percent from October to November. The effect of 25 people was felt in the total employment and unemployment. The civilian labor force remained the same from October to November at 6,075, but total employment fell 25 from 5,825 to 5,800. Total unemployment rose from 250 in October to 275 in November. One year ago in November, the unemployment rate was 5.4 percent.

The same movement in the metrics occurred in Ontonagon County, but the numbers were larger. The Ontonagon unemployment rate rose nearly from 5.9 percent in October to 6.7 percent in November.

The cause was a loss of 50 in the civilian labor force, a loss of 75 in employment (to 1,925) and 25 fewer employed in November (150.) The unemployment rate is significantly better than the 8.8 percent recorded a year ago in November.

Baraga County was one of 10 U.P. counties to record a lower unemployment rate, decreasing from 4.7 percent to 4.6 percent in November. A year ago, the rate was 6.3 percent.

Houghton County unemployment remained the same in October and November at 3.8 percent.

Little Keweenaw County had the biggest jump in unemployment from 3.9 percent in October to 6.9 percent in November. The November 2017 rate was 8.6 percent.

The lowest rate in the U.P. was recorded by Dickinson County, 3.1 percent, and Mackinac County was the highest at 9.8 percent.

The U.P. November jobless rate of 4.4 percent compared to the Michigan rate of 3.6 percent.