WASHINGTON D.C. (WTAQ) - There has been a slight increase in the national unemployment rate.
The Labor Department says the jobless rate in August was 9.6 percent, up just a tenth of a point from July. Federal government employment fell in August, as 114,000 temporary workers hired for the Census completed their work. Overall, non-farm payrolls dropped 54,000.
Meanwhile, private-sector payroll employment edged up by 67,000. The government reports that from May through August, the jobless rate remained in the range of 9.5 to 9.7 percent. The total number of unemployed individuals was 14.9 million in August.
As the nation's economic recovery limps along, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said yesterday a new economic stimulus package is "not in the offing."
Even so, Gibbs said the White House will propose a number of steps to boost the sagging economy this fall.
