NASHVILLE - Tennessee's unemployment rate inched up yet again in June to 9.8 percent, a slight increase over the May revised rate of 9.7 percent, state Labor & Workforce Development Commissioner Karla Davis said today.

That is six-tenths of 1 percent above the national rate for June.

"The decline in employment combined with a slight expansion in the labor force explains the higher unemployment rate," Davis said in a news release. "This is the third month in a row in which the unemployment rate has slightly increased."

The department's household survey found the number of employed Tennesseans decreased another 3,200 from May to June. The civilian labor force, however, increased by 1,800 and at 3,143,900 is the highest on record.

Davis said that, over the last 12 months, employment remains positive more 74,000 jobs added. The 2.7 percent state growth was far higher than that at the national level, which grew only two tenths of a percent.