State Facts & Statistics

December Unemployment Rate is Announced

Tennessee Commissioner of Labor & Workforce Development James Neeley announced Tennessee's unemployment rate for December was 7.9 percent, up 0.9 percentage point from the November rate of 7.0 percent. The December rate a year ago was 5.0. The national unemployment rate for December 2008 was 7.2 percent, up from the November rate of 6.8.
Go to http://news.tennesseeanytime.org/node/879 to see more.

Tentative Schedule for Release of Unemployment Figures 

Drug-Free Workforce Program

90% of large businesses have drug free workplace programs in place today, while only 5 to 10% of small and medium sized businesses have implemented similar programs. The irony here is that about 75% of employed Americans work for these small and medium sized businesses. Workers who want to avoid substance abuse policies at the large companies take their job search to the smaller businesses, and that's where they are today! Go to Drug-Free Workforce Program for detailed information.

Labor Market Information

The Labor Market Information LMI/Research and Statistics Section is the official source for all employment-related data for the state, the metropolitan areas, and the individual counties. The section works directly with the U. S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics to gather core labor market data that are comparable to information gathered nationwide. Click here for Labor Market Information.

State Demographics

U. S. Census Bureau provides data on population, economics, households, and more.

Survey of Business Owners

The US Census Bureau provides an economy wide survey of business owners by gender, Hispanic and race.

Tennessee Labor Laws

Tennessee is known as an "EMPLOYMENT-AT-WILL" state. Generally, this means that an employer may legally hire, fire, suspend or discipline any employee at any time and for any reason - good or bad - or for no reason at all. However, an employer may not discriminate against any employee on the basis of the employee's race, sex, age, religion, color, national origin, or disability. Click here for Tennessee Labor Laws

Work Opportunity Tax Credit and Welfare-to-Work Tax Credit Programs

On May 25, 2007, the President signed into law the "Small Business and Work Opportunity Tax Act of 2007”, which in part, reauthorized and extended the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) through August 31, 2011.

The reauthorization made certain modifications to the WOTC Tax Credit Program for employees that begin work for an employer after 05-25-2007.