There were 6,190 people out of work in the Danville/Pittsylvania County area in November, as the jobless rate jumped from 9.7 percent in October to 11.8 percent. That figure is more than double the November 2007 rate of 5.3 percent, when 2,890 people were out of work.
The city had the second-highest unemployment rate in the state at 14.4 percent, up from 11.7 in October and the November 2007 rate of 5.6 percent.
In Pittsylvania County, the rate was 10.1 percent, up from 8.4 in October and 5.2 percent in November 2007.
Bill Mezger, chief economist for the Virginia Employment Commission, said the increases in the Danville/Pittsylvania County area are a reflection of temporary furloughs in the manufacturing sector.
“Everybody has gone up in November because business conditions are sluggish,” Mezger said. “In Danville the last couple of months, manufacturers scheduled furloughs to curtail production until inventory could be sold off.”
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., the city’s largest employer, is among the manufacturers implementing recent furloughs.
Martinsville continues to have the state’s highest unemployment rate, at 14.9 percent, with 794 people unemployed. That figure is up from 12.7 percent in October and 8.5 percent in November 2007.
Mezger said Martinsville’s situation is different than the Danville/Pittsylvania County area because its increased rate is not due to temporary furloughs.
“Martinsville had permanent layoffs, particularly in the furniture industry, earlier in the year, which is reflected in their rate,” he said.
Henry County’s jobless rate was 9.6 percent, compared to 8.5 percent in October. A year ago, the rate was 6 percent.
Halifax County also saw an increase in the jobless rate, moving to 7.9 percent from 7.2 percent in October. A year ago, the rate was 5.7 percent.
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