By Leanne Cloudman

Staff Reporter

Lcloudman@yadkinripple.com

If you’re looking for work, you are not alone.

According to the North Carolina Employment Security Commission, 1,566 people are reportedly collecting unemployment benefits and seeking new employment in this area.

Those numbers are from Dec. 2008. Steve Hodge, ESC Branch Office Supervisor in Yadkin County expects those numbers to increase on Friday.

Though some local officials have claimed Yadkin County is not in as bad a shape as larger metropolitan areas, state data lists the unemployment rate in December 2008 as 7.9 percent, just a bit under the state rate of 8.7 percent reported on the same date. Twelve months ago, the unemployment rate for Yadkin County was 3.9 percent. These numbers do not include farm workers.

The Yadkin County labor force is estimated at 19,796 with 1,566 reported out of work in December.

A search for work on the ESC website returned 21 jobs in the general area. Fifteen of those were actually offered from Yadkin County business and industry. Of the 21 jobs, five were in the food service industry with an average wage of $6.79 per hour. Hodge reports a total of 35 opportunities for employment listed with his office.

“It’s just bad out there,” said Hodge. “The number of jobs we have listed in this office are down by more than half since October.”

Displaced workers should have been notified by mail if they qualify for trade affected workers benefits. If not, Hodge suggests they contact their former employer.