LANSING, MI (AP)-- The state says Michigan's monthly unemployment rate remained unchanged last month but the labor force continues to gain ground.
The Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget said Wednesday the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in March was 4.8 percent, the same as February. The labor force also had a net gain of 26,000 workers — the ninth consecutive monthly increase.
The March jobless rate was a percentage point below the same month last year and slightly below the national rate for the second straight month.
Officials say Michigan's first-quarter unemployment rate also was 4.8 percent, the lowest since 2001.
Michigan Governor Rick Snyder says in a statement the numbers are "a reminder of how far we have come," but there's "more to do to get Michigan working."