Alabama unemployment rate officially 2.2%

Alabama’s unemployment rate in June held steady at 2.2%, state Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington said Friday.

A total of 50,427 people are meeting the requirements from the state to be considered unemployed, and a record-high 2,253,490 Alabamians are counted as employed.

“I am proud to continue to celebrate the gains we are making month after month with our economic metrics,” said Washington in a statement. “The number of jobs our economy is supporting also rose to its highest level ever. This is certainly great news. Employers are continuing to add jobs and more and more people are joining the labor force each month.”

Counties with the lowest official unemployment rates are:

• Shelby County: 2.0%
• Morgan County: 2.1%
• Madison and Cullman counties: 2.2%.

Counties with the highest official unemployment rates are:

• Wilcox County: 7.5%
• Perry County: 6.2%
• Dallas County: 5.7%.

Major cities with the lowest official unemployment rates are:

• Trussville and Vestavia Hills: 1.8%
• Madison: 1.9%
• Alabaster, Homewood and Hoover: 2.0%

Major cities with the highest official unemployment rates are:

• Selma: 6.7%
• Prichard: 5.6%
• Bessemer: 3.9%

Alabamians who qualify for unemployment status must:

• Be unemployed through no fault of their own
• Must be able and available for full-time work

Alabamians can receive unemployment benefits for 14 to 20 weeks, and must:

• File weekly
• Continue being available for full-time work
• Actively seek employment and keep record of work search activities
• Register for employment with Alabama Works
• Accept suitable work