According to information released by the Alabama Department of Labor June 21, the state labor force is setting records, reporting historically low unemployment rate, high job count and high employment statewide. 

In May, preliminary estimates accounted for 2,150,481 people working in Alabama, up by nearly 41,000 from the same time a year ago and up 11,000 from April. 

In Morgan County, the ADOL reports 57,060 people employed in May – an increase of nearly 1,000 people compared to April’s count of 56,157 and a jump of more than 2,000 compared to the same timeframe in 2018. 

On the other side of the coin, the state reports 1,413 people unemployed in Morgan County in May, as compared to 1,663 unemployed in April, continuing a downward trend. That equates to a 2.4 percent unemployment rate in May, as compared to 2.9 percent in April and 3.2 percent May 2018. 

“Since day one, my administration has sought the best ways to make our state business-friendly for small businesses and attractive to world-class industry. It is certainly paying off because in May, each of Alabama’s 67 counties saw their unemployment rates drop,” Gov. Kay Ivey said. “Alabama is breaking record after record. I am proud of the footing we are making; however, we will not tire our efforts. It remains our goal to ensure every Alabamian who wants a job can get a job.”

Morgan County boasts the second lowest unemployment rate of adjacent counties with Marshall coming in at 2.3 percent, Cullman at 2.5 percent, Lawrence at 3 percent, Winston at 3.3 percent, Limestone at 2.6 percent and Madison at 2.5 percent.