State's jobless rate dips to 6.4 percent in September

Virginia's unemployment rate dropped slightly in September, helped by a seasonal increase in non-farm payroll jobs, the Virginia Employment Commission reported Friday.

The state's unadjusted jobless rate dropped to 6.4 percent from 6.5 percent in August partly due to the resumption of schools and colleges in September, the VEC said. When adjusted for seasonal factors, the rate rose to 6.5 percent from 6.3 percent in August, it said.

The number of nonfarm payroll jobs in the state grew by 15,500 in September, with the biggest increase - 14,500 - occurring in local government. However, the number of local-government jobs was down by 3,600 from a year ago, according to the VEC.

Employment in the information sector rose by 4,100 as striking Verizon employees returned to work, the VEC noted.

The leisure-and-hospitality-services sector registered the biggest decline in September, losing 16,000 jobs, while employment in professional-and-business services declined by 2,100.

The number of professional and business services jobs in the state was still up by 12,700 from a year earlier.

The nation's unadjusted jobless rate for September dropped to 8.8 percent from 9.1 percent in August.

When adjusted for seasonal factors, the rate was unchanged at 9.1 percent. The VEC is scheduled to release jobless rates for the state's localities Nov. 2.