Unemployment up in July

Alexis Barker
NLJ News Editor
 
The unemployment rate in Weston County rose to 3.2% from June to July of this year, according to an Aug. 27 report from the Wyoming Department of Workforce Service Research and Planning Division. Despite the .1% increase between the months, Weston County still remained below both the state and federal unemployment rates of 3.8% and 4.0%, respectively (3.6% and 3.7% seasonally adjusted). 
“Most county unemployment rates fell slightly or stayed the same from June to July,” the report states, noting that the largest decreases occurred in Niobrara County, Uinta County, Teton County and Natrona County. 
Weston County’s July unemployment rate was only .1% higher than the previous month while remaining lower than the unemployment rate last July of 3.4%. 
The labor force in Weston County totals 3,643 in July, down from 3,753 in June. The number of employed individuals in the county sat at 3,528 in July, down from 3,636 in June, meaning that the number of unemployed was at 115 in July, down two from the previous month. 
Looking at the year to year comparison, Weston County saw a decrease in the labor force of 46 people, with the number of employed down by 24 people from July of last year to July this year. The number of unemployed in the county dropped from 127 in July of last year to 115 in July of this year. 
The August unemployment report will be released Sept. 24.