Area Development
The national unemployment rate held steady at 9.6 percent for the month of September, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports. Nonfarm payrolls lost 95,000 jobs last month, government employment dropped by 159,000 jobs, but private sector payrolls added 64,000 positions.

There were 14.8 million unemployed people in September, representing no significant change. The number of long-term unemployed people (those out of work for at least 27 weeks) at 6.1 million also did not notably change.

The number of people working part-time for economic reasons rose by 612,000 workers last month to 9.5 million. In the past two months, that figure has grown by 943,000. These people work part-time either because of reduced work hours or inability to find a full-time job.

Discouraged workers number 1.2 million in September, a rise from 503,000 the previous year. These people have stopped looking for work because they believe there are no jobs available for them.