Arkansas News Bureau

LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas’ unemployment rate rose two-tenths of a percent in June to 7.2 percent, according to labor statistics released Friday.

The state unemployment rate for June was highest since June 1992 when it reached 7.3 percent, said state Department of Workforce Services spokeswoman Kimberly Friedman.

The unemployment rate for June was more than 2 percent below the national average, which increased one-tenth of a percentage point to 9.4 percent.

The unemployment rate in Arkansas in June 2005 was 5 percent and the national rate was 5.6 percent.

“Arkansas’ unemployment rate followed the national trend and increased over the month,” Friedman said Friday. “We are seeing impact but we are not seeing the same impact as other states or the nation as a whole.”

“While total nonfarm jobs advanced, current economic conditions caused layoffs in multiple industries in the service sector,” she said, “Arkansas’ rate is still significantly lower than the national average.”

The state’s civilian job forced gained 7,200 in June, with 3,400 more unemployed and 3,800 fewer employed Arkansas workers.

About 1.27 million Arkansans were employed during June while 98,800 were out of work in the state, DWS reported.

The largest drops were in the government and professional and business services sectors.

Government jobs dropped 4,100, a majority of the losses seasonal as schools closed for the summer. Professional and business services decreased 3,900, mostly because of fluctuations at employment agencies.

Educational and health services saw a 3,300 job gain, mostly in health care and social assistance as the need for day care and home health workers rose.

Construction jobs increased 3,100 because of seasonal business expansions and new start-ups.

Leisure and hospitality jobs also increased by 1,100 because of summer travel and activities related to the arts, entertainment and recreation.