Summer Break For Schools Fuels Joblessness Increase

Friday, July 20th 2007, 7:58 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The beginning of the summer break for public schools and universities fueled an increase in unemployment in Oklahoma during the month of June, a state agency said Friday.

The state's jobless rate rose to 4.7%, a 0.2% increase from May, the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission reported. The movement mirrors a trend seen each year during the May-to-June period since 1998, OESC officials said.

The 4,900 jobs lost over the period included 1,400 in the educational services sector, officials said.

Natural resources and mining continued to lead annual growth, adding 4,600 jobs since June 2006, according to the agency.

Oklahoma's total labor force for June was 1,763,220, the OESC said. Of that number, 1,680,430 were employed and 82,790 were not.

Oklahoma's unemployment rate in June 2006 was 4.2%, the agency reported.