What BIG PRINT gives, small print can take away; On North Carolina's unemployment rate

From the Associated Press;

"N.C. unemployment rate falls to 8.7 in August

North Carolina's jobless rate is continuing its downward trend after a one-month increase.

The state Commerce Department said Friday the August unemployment rate was 8.7 percent, compared with 8.9 percent the month before. The July rate was the first month-to-month increase since January.

...North Carolina data show the number of employed people fell by almost 3,600 workers between July and August. The number of unemployed fell by a greater amount, or about 8,700 people.

The trend of falling unemployment rates across the country has come, in large part, due to the number of people who stopped looking for a job. The government does not count those people as unemployed."

http://www.news-record.com/business/article_090bb4be-220d-11e3-8a99-001a4bcf6878.html
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From the Triangle Business Journal

N.C. unemployment drops to 8.7%, but state loses jobs

North Carolina’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dipped from 8.9 percent in July to 8.7 percent in August — the lowest it has been all year — although the state lost 1,700 jobs during the month, according to data released Friday by the N.C. Department of Commerce.

North Carolina employment decreased by 3,652 in August, bringing the state’s total non-farm industry employment to slightly more than 4 million.

So the unemployment rate dipped because of a smaller total labor force. People can drop out of the labor force if they are no longer actively looking for work, as counted by the Employment Security Commission

http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2013/09/20/nc-unemployment-drops-to-87-but.html