(Click on the chart to enlarge or visit http://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm).
There were only slight changes to the March data that was released in April. The highest states for unemployment percentages remain: Michigan, Nevada, California, Rhode Island, Florida, South Carolina, Mississippi, Illinois, Alabama, Ohio, North Carolina, Oregon, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Indiana, New Jersey, Arizona, Missouri, West Virginia, Washington State, Massachusetts, Idaho, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, New Mexico, and Wisconsin.
The states that were mentioned all have unemployment rates at or above 8.5% - the current percentage to receive federal funding for all existing unemployment tiers.
This is worth noting: According to the Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, the State of New York has fallen to 8.4%.
Alaska is also at 8.4% and Texas has went up slightly to 8.3%. As this blogger has previously noted, a lower percentage does not equal relief. Many unemployed in Texas did not benefit from the last tier of unemployment extensions as they fell below the 8.5% rate to receive federal assistance.
The State of New York has fallen to 8.4%. 1/10th of a percent below the mark to continue to receive federal funding. Please, when contacting Congress, ask them to consider the population of a state and not simply a percentage. Please continue to advocate for a Tier 5 unemployment extension and ask Congress to consider the number of persons - not percentages when making decisions on which states receive assistance.
