Iowa unemployment rate slightly up again despite more people entering the workforce

DES MOINES — Iowa’s unemployment rate slightly rose once again in the month of August despite more people entering the workforce.

Iowa Workforce Development says Iowa added 1900 people to the labor force in August, led primarily by adults ages 20 to 24, increasing the state’s labor force participation rate to 67.5%, up a tenth of a percent from July.

Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 3.8%, up from 3.7% in July, but still lower than the national unemployment rate for August at 4.3%. The total number of unemployed Iowans increased to 65,800 in August from 64,900 in July.

Iowa Workforce Development director Beth Townsend says Iowa has seen a more than 10% reduction in the number of unemployment claims from the same time last year, as the state’s investments in helping people find new jobs or the next job are paying off.