Governor Ivey Announces Alabama’s Unemployment Rate Decrease Highest in Nation

MONTGOMERY –  Governor Kay Ivey announced today that the .4% decrease in Alabama’s unemployment rate from March 2017 to April 2017 tied with Tennessee for the highest rate decrease in the nation.
“Today’s announcement that Alabama had the highest drop in unemployment numbers in the nation in April is encouraging. Since my first day in office, I have been laser-focused on making sure every Alabamian who wants a job can get one,” Governor Kay Ivey said. “With our unemployment number dropping and more than 2 million folks in the workforce, that dream is quickly becoming a reality. Alabama has highly-skilled and dedicated workers, and I’m proud to say the proof is in the pudding: Alabama is open for business!”
“We were already excited about today’s news, including a great decrease in our unemployment rate, and the fact that our economy is supporting more than two million jobs for the first time in years,” Alabama Commissioner of Labor Fitzgerald Washington said. “This news that our rate dropped more than 48 other states in April is just icing on the cake. April has proved to be a great month for the State of Alabama. We are hopeful that these positives that occurred in April will continue throughout the year.”
Only 10 states saw unemployment rate decreases in April, with Alabama and Tennessee tying for the largest decrease of .04%.
Additionally, Alabama was one of only nine states to see an increase in wage and salary employment.  Alabama’s wage and salary employment increased by 10,400 to 2,001,800.  April’s count marks the first time the economy supported more than two million jobs since June 2008.
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Members of the media seeking more information should contact Department of Labor Communications Director Tara Hutchison at (334) 242-8616.