U.S.: Unemployment Jumps to 8.1%

The Bureau of Labor Statistics and Department of Labor released the latest employment numbers, for the month of February. The numbers show a spike to 8.1% unemployment---the highest rate reported since 1983.

The report reads: "the unemployment rate rose from 7.6 to 8.1 percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Payroll employment has declined by 2.6 million in the past 4 months. In February, job losses were large and widespread across nearly all major industry sectors.

"The number of unemployed persons increased by 851,000 to 12.5 million in February, and the unemployment rate rose to 8.1 percent. Over the past 12 months, the number of unemployed persons has increased by about 5.0 million,

and the unemployment rate has risen by 3.3 percentage points."

(Read the entire report at BLS.gov.)