Published: 1/24/2022

ACCORDING TO NEW DATA RELEASED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE STATE OF TENNESSEE REACHED A TWO-YEAR LOW IN DECEMBER. THE STATE ENDED 2021 WITH AN UNEMPLOYMENT RATE OF 3.8%, WHICH WAS 0.2 OF A PERCENTAGE POINT LOWER THAN THE RATE IT RECORDED IN NOVEMBER. OVER THE PAST YEAR, TENNESSEE'S SEASONALLY ADJUSTED UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DECREASED BY 1.8 PERCENTAGE POINTS FROM 5.6% TO 3.8%. TENNESSEE HAS NOT SEEN UNEMPLOYMENT AT THIS LEVEL SINCE JANUARY 2020 WHEN IT HAD A RATE OF 3.7%. THE STATE EXPERIENCED SLIGHT INCREASES IN UNEMPLOYMENT IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH OF THAT YEAR BEFORE COVID-19 BUSINESS CLOSURES DRAMATICALLY IMPACTED THE STATE’S WORKFORCE. IN APRIL 2020, TENNESSEE REACHED A RECORD HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AT 15.8%. THE WORKFORCE HAS BEEN RECOVERING EVER SINCE THEN.