Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged up to 6.8 percent in March, compared with a 6.7 percent hike in February.

The U.S. Department of Labor today released its latest employment statistics, which show the statewide estimate of unemployed persons rose to 114,600 last month from 111,900 in February.

Total nonfarm employment in March increased by 7,300 to 1,474,200 in Iowa. Professional and business services added 2,800 jobs in March, in both blue- and white-collar occupations.

Taking into account revisions to prior months, the Iowa economy added 15,400 jobs in the first quarter, brightening the job market’s outlook.

“March was the third consecutive month of job growth for the state, which reinforces the view that the state’s economy is on the mend,” said Elisabeth Buck, director of Iowa Workforce Development. “However, it will take time to achieve the strong and sustained job growth that is needed to significantly reduce the state’s unemployment rate.”

In March 2009, Iowa’s total pool of unemployed workers was reported at 91,300, with an unemployment rate of 5.5 percent.



For the third consecutive month, the national unemployment rate was 9.7 percent, up from 8.6 percent in March 2009.