http://wamc.org en http://wamc.org/post/berkshire-county-unemployment-rate-now-higher-mass-statewide-average <p></p><p>According to state officials in Massachusetts, the unemployment rose to 6.7% in December, and for the Berkshires, the unemployment rate is now above the state average.</p><p></p><p>Although the numbers released by the State Executive Office of Labor and Workforce development are not seasonally adjusted, the Berkshires now face an unemployment rate at 6.6% That’s up half a percentage point from October and November, and the highest it’s been since February 2012.</p> Wed, 23 Jan 2013 23:05:00 +0000 Lucas Willard 56369 at http://wamc.org Berkshire County Unemployment Rate Now Higher Than Mass. Statewide Average http://wamc.org/post/vermont-unemployment-drops-51-percent <p></p><p></p><p>The Vermont Department of Labor says the state's unemployment rate dropped one-tenth of one percentage point in December to 5.1 percent.<br><br>Labor Commissioner Annie Noonan says the recovery from the Great Recession has been slower than from past economic slowdowns, but progress is being made. Sun, 20 Jan 2013 06:15:00 +0000 Pat Bradley 56087 at http://wamc.org Vermont Unemployment Drops to 5.1 Percent