The unemployment rate was up to 6 percent in Franklin County for December 2016, after a rate of 5.6 percent in November 2016.

The increase was mirrored across the state, according to Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington, who reported that Alabama’s December unemployment rate was 6.2 percent, up from November’s rate of 5.9 percent. December’s rate represents 136,409 unemployed persons, compared to 128,651 in November and 134,403 in December 2015. Washington said. In Franklin County, the percentage represents 829 people unemployed, as compared to 775 in November.

“Our unemployment rate rose in December because the labor force grew by nearly 9,000 in one month,” said Washington. “This represents the largest labor force Alabama has seen in more than five years and indicates confidence in the job market. We also surpassed last month’s employment numbers, making December the month to beat. More people were working in December than at any time during 2016. We actually haven’t seen this many people working since April 2008.”