Unemployment Tops 10 Percent in 16 States in June

Monti Says: Remember all of the “shovel-ready” projects that were going to create jobs in the stimulus package signed into law back in February? The only shoveling that has been done is loads of garbage that spewed from their mouths. Outrageous!

Associated Press

July 17, 2009

The U.S. Labor Department says unemployment topped 10 percent in 16 states last month. The rate in Michigan surpassed 15 percent, the first time any state hit that mark since 1984.

Home to the nation’s struggling auto makers, Michigan has been clobbered by lost factory jobs. Its jobless rate of 15.2 percent in June was the highest in the country, but the record-high for the state was 16.9 percent in November 1982.

Still, the government says it’s the first time in 25 years that any state has suffered an unemployment rate of at least 15 percent. In 1984, it was West Virginia.

The national unemployment rate is 9.5 percent, a 26-year high, and is expected to hit 10 percent by year-end.