NC jobless rate falls in February for 5th straight month

RALEIGH, NC (AP) — North Carolina’s unemployment rate fell for the fifth consecutive month in February.

The state Commerce Department announced on Friday that the seasonally adjusted jobless rate was 5.7% last month, compared to 5.9% in January. The U.S. rate in February was 6.2%.

The state rate hit 13.5% last spring when severe business restrictions kicked in at the beginning of the coronavirus epidemic a year ago. The number of employed workers last month rose by 4,800 compared to January, while unemployment totals fell by close to 11,000 people.

The state rate still has a way to go down to meet pre-pandemic levels.