Tennessee’s unemployment rate declined slightly in October, down 0.2 percentage point from the September rate of 7.2, according to Tennessee Commissioner of Labor & Workforce Development James Neeley. The rate a year ago was 5.0 percent. The national unemployment rate for October 2008 was 6.5 percent, up from the September rate of 6.1.

“Since September we’ve seen a slight gain in employment along with declines in the labor force causing the rate to fall slightly,” said Commissioner Neeley. “From 2007, however, we are still seeing broad job losses and expect the unemployment rate to continue the slow pattern of moving upward.”

The survey indicates the September-to-October gains were in local government educational services employment, which increased by 2,800; private educational services added 800 jobs; and hospital employment increased by 600.