Michigan jobless rate edges up to 5.2 percent in January

Michigan's unemployment rate edged upward to 5.2 percent in January as the number of people entering the job market continued to grow.
 
     The Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget said Thursday the rate rose from 5.1 percent in December and compared with a national January jobless rate of 4.8 percent but still marked an improvement over Michigan's year-ago rate of 5.0 percent. Michigan's December unemployment was revised upward from 5.0 percent announced earlier.
 
     The agency says the state's workforce rose by 24,000 during January, with increases in both total employment at 18,000 jobs and in unemployed workers at 6,000.
 
     Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives Director Jason Palmer says the Michigan workforce grew by nearly 2.0 percent over the past year.