Minnesota employers cut 7,500 jobs last month

Minnesota’s unemployment rate edged up to 6.0 percent last month, with employers slashing 7,500 jobs, according to new figures from the Department of Employment and Economic Development. In September the state’s unemployment rate was at 5.9 percent, with job losses of 2,300.

There were 16,400 fewer jobs available last month than at the same point in 2007, a drop of 0.6 percent. Particularly hard hit have been the construction (-6,700 jobs) and manufacturing (-9,200 jobs) sectors. Nationwide the unemployment rate is at 6.5 percent, with 240,000 jobs eliminated last month.

(Image cribbed from CrimePsych blog).