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The Center Square [By Kim Jarrett] –
Only three of Tennessee’s 95 counties did not have an increase in their unemployment rate for July, according to the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
The largest climb was in Weakley County, where the rate jumped 3.5 percentage points to 8.5%, according to the department.
The second highest was in Green County at 6.8%, an increase of 1.3% from June.
Labor Department officials said the large decreases were seasonal, which is figured in the state rate but not in individual county figures.
Sevier County, home to popular tourist sites Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, had the lowest rate in the state at 3.3%, followed by Cheatham County at 3.4%, according to the department. Five counties – Wilson, Williamson, Sumner, Dickson and Davidson – had rates of 3.6%.
Tennessee’s unemployment rate was 3.6% in July, up from 3.5% in June and from the 2024 July rate of 3.4%. Tennessee remains below the national rate of 4.2%.
The department said the number of jobs declined by 900 in July. The private education and health services sector shed the most jobs, followed by the leisure and hospitality sector.
Overall, the Volunteer State added 21,000 in the past year, most of them in the government sector, the department said.
Average weekly earnings for Tennessee workers increased by 1.1% in July to $1,000.82. The average hourly wage was $24.47.
One Response
I moved to TN to work as a representative at a customer facility in Bradley Co. for a company that is based out of NY, NC, with warehouses in many other states and countries. It calls itself a US company but reflects all the ideologies of the CCP and globalism. I was fired from my job after 1.8 years for refusing to submit to DEI and Marxist ideological training “classes” that were not disclosed prior to accepting the job and moving cross-country (I learned of the demand my first week on the job). This “training” had nothing to do with my job performance. HR denied my religious exemption request and give me three “corrective actions” even though I was given many bonuses and great reviews, etc. This company fired me in retaliation for standing against their intimidation and now I am unable to get work even though I am a professional with many years of experience, integrity, common sense, and I show up to work every day. I took the job to work, not be socially engineered and programmed. Employers like this need to be held accountable; I am sure I am not alone. This is the United States not Communist China.