Unemployment Up for Hispanics, Blacks

By Stephanie Czekalinski

Updated: June 1, 2012 | 10:32 a.m.
June 1, 2012 | 9:52 a.m.

The unemployment rates for Hispanics and African-Americans rose slightly last month, according to Labor Department numbers released on Friday.

In May, 11 percent of Hispanics who were looking for work couldn’t find it, up from 9.8 a month ago. Among blacks, the rate rose less than a percentage point, from 13 percent in April to 13.6 percent in May.

The unemployment rates for whites and Asians remained flat at 7.4 percent and 5.2 percent respectively.

Overall, the unemployment rate rose one-tenth of 1 percent in May to 8.2 percent. The economy added 69,000 jobs, but more people joined the labor force, offsetting the gains, according to the report.

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