Jobless rate rises in Vermont in August

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Vermont's jobless rate rose three-tenths of a percent from July to August.

The Vermont Department of Labor said the state's seasonally adjusted rate for August was 5.3 percent. The rate was significantly lower than the national average of 8.1 percent.

Labor officials said the diverse mix of businesses in Vermont helped insulate the state against some of the economic problems faced by other states.