By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network
LANSING, MI –
Job growth in Michigan has stalled and the ranks of the unemployed grew by eight thousand people last month - driving the state's unemployment rate up very slightly to 10.5%.
Bruce Weaver is with the state Department of Labor Market Information. Weaver says job-creation in Michigan slowed dramatically in February and has not recovered.
"The unemployment rate in the state is down dramatically over the past year and both jobs and employment have risen since June of last year, but over the past several months, many of these labor market indicators have flattened out. That's consistent with what's happened nationally," he says.
The number of hours worked and payroll earnings also fell. The rate of unemployment and under-employment is 19.6%. That number counts people who have quit looking for jobs, and part-timers who would like to work full-time.