NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee's unemployment rate dropped in July 2021 to 4.7% as more people find jobs and return to work since businesses shut their doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development said that it was a 0.2% drop compared to June's unemployment rate. They also said that the state's unemployment rate has been at 5.1% or lower for seven months.
It is approaching pre-pandemic unemployment levels. In March 2020, the state's unemployment rate was 4%.
Average weekly earnings also increased by $12.62 in Tennessee, to around $956. The amount of time that workers spent in the workplace also stayed around the same at 43.5 hours.
However, the state's labor force decreased slightly by around 560 workers compared to June. State leaders said that around 158,000 people were looking for work in the state.
The industries that saw the most growth was in education, hospitality, and business services. Trade, transportation and utility jobs also saw major growth this month.
However, the number of jobs available in government, retail and wholesale trade fell compared to June.
The national unemployment rate was reported at 5.4% for July 2021, with a labor force of around 161,347,000 workers. In the U.S., workers earned an average of $981 and worked 41.2 hours per week.
Anyone searching for work in Tennessee can use the state's online job portal, Jobs4TN. Governor Bill Lee has also ended the state's participation in a federal unemployment program providing extra benefits for people out of work. The eviction moratorium has also expired in the state.