On Friday April 17th the Bureau of Labor Statistics released the Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Summary for March 2009:

REGIONAL AND STATE EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT:  MARCH 2009

Regional and state unemployment rates were nearly all higher in March.  Forty-six states recorded over-the-month unemployment rate increases, North Dakota and the District of Columbia registered rate decreases, and 3 states had no change in their rate, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Over the year, jobless rates were up in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The national unemployment rate rose from 8.1 percent in February to 8.5 percent in March, which was 3.4 percentage points higher than in March 2008…

Missouri employment numbers:

Table C.  States with statistically significant employment changes from February 2009 to March 2009, seasonally adjusted

Missouri

Feb 2009:   2,747,900

March 2009 (preliminary):  2,736,800

Over-the-month change (preliminary): -11,100

Table D.  States with statistically significant employment changes from March 2008 to March 2009, seasonally adjusted

Missouri

March 2008:   2,794,600

March 2009 (preliminary):  2,736,800

Over-the-month change (preliminary): -57,800