State’s Jobless Rate Rises to 7.4 Percent

Arkansas’ unemployment rate rose to 7.4 percent in July, compared with 7.2 percent in June. The state’s jobless rate was 5 percent in July 2008 The U.S. rate for July fell slightly to 9.4 percent, compared with 9.5 percent in June. The nation’s unemployment rate in July 2008 was 5.8 percent. Arkansas’ civilian labor force decreased 5,200 in July, the state Department of Workforce Services said. “This unemployment rate increase was not unexpected, with nonfarm payroll jobs declining between June and July,” said Kimberly Friedman, communications director for the department. “Arkansas is still feeling the effects of the recession, though we continue to have a jobless rate lower than most other states.”

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Whirlpool to slash 300 jobs

Whirlpool Corp. plans to cut as many as 50 salaried jobs by late August and about another 250 hourly positions in September at its Fort Smith plant. The factory manufactures side-by-side refrigerators and icemakers.

Company officials announced Thursday between 40 and 50 salaried jobs would be eliminated, Jill Saletta, Whirlpool spokeswoman, stated in an e-mail. Whirlpool will offer severance benefits and support service, including outplacement service to those employees.

“Yesterday’s announcement affects salaried positions only; however, we anticipate there will be an hourly layoff that will coincide with an anticipated schedule change in September, although no estimate of the number affected has been made yet,” she stated.

Read the full story via: Times Record