The local jobless rate edged upward slightly from May to June.

Livingston County’s unemployment rate stood at 3.3% in June, up from 2.8% in May. The Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget says June was very typical for the state’s job market. Livingston County’s ranking among Michigan’s 83 counties dropped one spot to third. Jason Palmer, director of the Bureau of Labor Market Information & Strategic Initiatives, says workforce levels swelled throughout the state as many individuals entered the labor market seeking seasonal employment. He noted most of Michigan’s local labor markets in mid-2018 continued to show slight improvement over last year.

During June, unemployment rate increases in the 14 regions were moderate. The state says the largest over-the-month jobless rate hike occurred in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn statistical area, which includes Livingston County. (JM)