County unemployment unchanged

December’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County remained unchanged from the previous month.

The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget showed the county’s 3.6 percent December unemployment rate was the same as November’s figure.

St. Joseph County was below the state unemployment average, which was 4.4 percent in December.

The agency said overall, seasonal job cuts in the areas of construction, leisure and hospitality, business services and government were common, causing a higher unemployment rate in other areas of Michigan.

St. Joseph County featured the lowest unemployment rate in the region for the month. Meanwhile, Van Buren County had the region’s highest, at 6.1 percent.

Cass County’s unemployment rate for the month was 4.6 percent.