Iowa unemployment rate stays steady in September

DES MOINES — The state’s unemployment rate stayed steady in the month of September.

Iowa Workforce Development says Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at 2.9% in September amid a labor force that remained largely static despite job reductions.

IWD says the state’s labor force participation rate held steady at 66.3% despite the total number of working Iowans falling by 1000 compared to August.

Iowa firms shed 4800 jobs in September, with the largest movements being in education and health care, losing 2200 jobs, fueled mostly by losses in health care services. Health care and social assistance have now shed 4100 jobs over the last two months.

Leisure and hospitality saw a gain of 600 jobs in the month.