Matthew Dolan

Detroit Free Press

Michigan’s unemployment rate increased for the third time in three months in November to 4.9%, the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget announced today.

That means that Michigan's seasonally adjusted rate is above the national rate at 4.6% by three-tenths of a percentage point, state officials said. November marked the first month in 2016 that Michigan’s jobless rate was above the national rate.

Still, the Michigan jobless rate in November 2016 was two-tenths of a percentage point below the November 2015 rate of 5.1%.

“The increase in the number of unemployed over the last several months reflects a sizeable entry of individuals into the state’s workforce. Most, but not all have found jobs,” said Jason Palmer, director of the the state's Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives.

Since August, the state’s rate moved upward by four-tenths of a percentage point. November’s rate matched Michigan’s 2016 rate peak registered in January.

For the region, unemployment generally remained higher than the state average. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in November for a statistically area known as "Detroit-Warren-Dearborn" increased by four-tenths of a percentage point to 5.6%

There was better news about the state's growing employment base despite an increase rate of unemployment.

From November 2015 to November 2016, total employment rose in Michigan by 2.5 percent while the state’s workforce grew by 2.3 percent, which outpaced the national total employment and labor force growth rates of 1.8 and 1.3 percent respectively over the same period, according to state officials.

Among the bright spots? Construction.

Jobs in the sector recorded gains for the last two months. Since September, construction jobs have risen by around 8,000. Over the year, construction jobs have displayed the highest percentage gain - up 6% - of any major sector in the state.

Regardless of rising unemployment, Michigan's governor said he sees his state rebounding.

“Today’s jobs report – the last one before the new year – once again shows that more Michiganders have the confidence to join or rejoin the workforce to find new jobs in our state’s reinvented economy," Gov. Rick Snyder said in a statement Wednesday. "In the past 12 months, our unemployment rate has been at its lowest rate in 15 years, our labor force has grown, and more Michiganders have found jobs."

Contact Matthew Dolan: 313-223-4743 or msdolan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @matthewsdolan.