ABJ - December 23 - Regional and state unemployment rates were generally lower in November, as 43 states and the District of Columbia recorded unemployment rate decreases, three states posted rate increases, and four states had no rate change according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

45 states registered unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, while five states and the District of Columbia experienced increases. The national jobless rate fell by 0.4 percentage points between October and November to 8.6 per cent, down from 9.8 per cent in November 2010.

The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in Wisconsin (-14,600), followed by Minnesota (-13,700) and Colorado (-4,500). South Carolina experienced the largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment (0.9 per cent), followed by Arkansas and Wyoming (0.6 per cent each).

Alaska experienced the largest over-the-month percentage decline in employment (-0.8 per cent), followed by Delaware (-0.7 per cent) and Montana (-0.6 per cent). Over the year, non-farm employment increased in 45 states and the District of Columbia. The largest over-the-year percentage increase occurred in North Dakota (4.5 per cent), followed by Wyoming (three per cent) and Oklahoma (2.8 per cent). The largest over-the-year percentage decreases in employment occurred in Delaware (-0.8 per cent) and Georgia (-0.5 per cent).