By AP
LANSING, MI –
Michigan's unemployment rate has dropped for the first time in five months, declining to 11.1 percent in September.
The Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget on Wednesday released the seasonally adjusted rate, which dropped one-tenth of a percent from August.
The state's jobless rate continues to exceed the national rate of 9.1 percent.
Until September, Michigan had seen its unemployment rate rise steadily since April, when it was 10.2 percent. The September 2010 rate was 11.9 percent, with 65,000 fewer payroll jobs.
Total payroll jobs fell by 14,000 last month, led by the loss of 12,000 government jobs. Leisure and hospital services lost 6,000 jobs and construction lost 3,000.
The state added 6,000 jobs in education and health services and 4,000 jobs in professional and business services last month.