Arkansas Unemployment Rate Falls To 6.6% As Labor Force Shrinks

A big drop in the civilian labor force led to a dramatic decline in the state’s unemployment rate in April.

Arkansas’ April jobless rate fell three-tenths of a percent from March to 6.6%.

The state’s civilian labor force declined by 8,300 workers between the months. The number of employed workers fell by 3,200 and the number of unemployed dropped by 5,100.

“Arkansas’ unemployment rate decline in April is related in part to the decrease in the number of unemployed and a decline in the size of the civilian labor force. There are still 12,300 fewer unemployed Arkansans than in April 2013,” said Arkansas Department of Workforce Services communications director Becky Heflin.

One year ago, Arkansas unemployment stood at 7.5%, meaning the April 2014 rate is nearly one full percentage point from last year. While the number of employed Arkansans has grown by 7,700 since last April, there has been a 12,300 decline in the number of unemployed workers in the labor force.

Talk Business will update this story later today.