By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network
LANSING, MI – Michigan's jobless rate was virtually unchanged in September. It bumped up last month by one-tenth of a percentage point to 15.3%.
The state Department of Labor and Economic Growth say the most job losses were in retail and tourism. The numbers are seasonally adjusted, so they don't just reflect the end of the summer travel season. There was a slight increase in manufacturing jobs because workers were called back from short-term layoffs.
Michigan's jobless rate has been stable since June after suffering a big drop over the seven previous months. When people who are working part-time but looking for full-time work and jobless people who've quit looking are included, the rate of unemployed and under-employed people in Michigan is 20.7%.