Unemployment Rates Tick Up in February, With Biggest Increases in Maine and New Jersey

Unemployment rates rose notably in January in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Washington compared to the national average.

California's unemployment rate ticked up to 5.2%, one of the highest in the country, due to layoffs stemming from tighter monetary conditions.

The national unemployment rate increased to 3.9% in February, up from 3.7% in January, partly due to more people entering the workforce.

Job openings still far exceed available workers, pointing to excess demand for labor.

The largest unemployment rate increases since January occurred in Maine and New Jersey, rising by almost 1 percentage point each.