Alabama Department of Industrial Relations Director Tom Surtees announced Friday that Alabama’s November unemployment rate climbed slightly to 9.0 percent, an increase over October’s rate of 8.9 percent.

“We saw a small increase, but our unemployment rate continues to remain well below the national average and our Employment Service Division is reporting more active job orders than at any time in the past three years,” said Surtees.

The national rate for November was 9.8 percent, up from October’s national rate of 9.6.

Marengo County’s jobless rate actually fell a tenth of a percent, settling at 12.1 percent compared to 12.2 in October.

Marengo’s jobless rate in November 2009 was 13.5 percent.

In November 2010, the Employment Service Division reported 9,376 active job orders, which is more than any amount recorded in 2007, 2008, or 2009.

Marengo County’s figures represent 964 out-of-work residents.

Statewide, wage and salary employment increased 2,100 over the month with the majority of the upturn resulting from gains in the trade, transportation, and utilities sector.

November’s rate represents 192,961 unemployed persons, compared to 189,289 in

October. A year ago, in November 2009, the state’s unemployment rate was 10.9 percent, which represented 224,552 unemployed persons.