December 1993 — 1994-02-02

Unemployment rates were lower in December 1993 than in the prior month in 24 states and the District of Columbia, higher in 21 states, and unchanged in 5 states, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The national unemployment rate was 6.4 percent in December, compared with 6.5 percent in November. The unemployment rate in Louisiana dropped 1.4 percentage points to 7.1 percent in December, reversing its November increase. Unemployment rates in Oklahoma and Pennsylvania decreased by about 1 percentage point over the month. In contrast, the Rhode Island unemployment rate increased 1.3 percentage points to 8.9 percent in December. In Georgia and New Jersey, rates increased about 1 percentage point. During the course of 1993, the national unemployment rate decreased by 0.9 percentage point. Over this same period, jobless rates declined in 37 states and the District of Columbia.