The unemployment rate in Massachusetts has climbed higher than the national rate for the first time in more than six years.
The state Office of Labor and Workforce Development said the jobless rate dropped in November to 7.1 percent from 7.2 percent the month before. The national unemployment rate dipped to a five year low of 7 percent. The Massachusetts unemployment rate has been inching up since summer. Economist Daniel Hodge at the UMass Donahue Institute said sequestration has been a drag on the state’s economy.
" The state still has added over 46,000 jobs for the year, but our study shows it would have added more if not for sequestration."
An institute report said Massachusetts took a federal funding hit of $1.3 billion.
