September jobless rates down in D.C. and Virginia, up in Maryland

By V. Dion Haynes
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, October 23, 2010; 3:03 AM
Unemployment rates in September dropped in the District and Virginia but rose by 0.2 percentage points in Maryland, according to federal government data released Friday. The numbers illustrate long-term improvement in the regional job market but prolonged reluctance among employers to significantly expand their payrolls because of lingering uncertainty about the economy.

Maryland's rate jumped to 7.5 percent from 7.3 percent in August, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The rates fell by 0.1 points to 9.8 percent in the District and to 6.8 percent in Virginia. The U.S. unemployment rate in September remained steady at 9.6 percent.
"This has just been a very tenuous time," said Ann D. Lang, senior economist at the Virginia Employment Commission. "Retail sales rose in September - there's some spending going on," but employers are "holding back a little and concerned about jobs and if we're going to get on a solid road here."  more...