Midstate unemployment up in first month of 2013

(Harrisburg) -- Pennsylvania's January unemployment rate is 8.2 percent, the highest it’s been since October, 2010.

The beginning of the year has been difficult for midstate joblessness, as well.

Analysts at the state Department of Labor and Industry blame the unemployment increase of four-tenths of a point from December on winter weather curtailing construction projects, layoffs of seasonal workers after the holiday season, and schools cutting back over winter break.

The northern part of the region has experienced the most significant increases in unemployment.

The Pottsville area in Schuylkill County and the Sunbury area in Northumberland County both have an unemployment rate of 10.1 percent -- tied for the highest in the midstate.

In the Selinsgrove area in Snyder County, the rate rose nearly one point to 9 percent.

The Lancaster and Lebanon areas both have unemployment levels of 6.9 percent, a tie for the lowest in the region.

Unemployment rose two-tenths of a point in the so-called Harrisburg-Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area, to 7.4 percent.

The York-Hanover MSA experienced a three-tenths of a point rise to 7.9 percent.

The Chambersburg area saw a jump of two-tenths of a point, to 7.3 percent.