Tennessee's unemployment rate for December was 10.9 percent, up 0.7 percent from the November rate of 10.2 percent. The last time Tennessee unemployment reached the latest level was November 1983.
"These figures are consistent with a weak holiday period that outweighed seasonal adjustments to the unemployment rate this time of year," said James Neeley, Tennessee Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development.
Georgia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate matched July's record high of 10.3 percent, according the Georgia Department of Labor.
Fast look at Tennessee jobless figures
* December rate: 10.9 percent
* Last time at 10.9 percent: November 1983
* November unemployment rate: 10.2 percent
* December 2008 rate: 7.6 percent
* Tennessee record rate: 12.4 percent in December 1982
Fast look at Georgia unemployment numbers
* December jobless rate: 10.3 percent
* Last time at 10:3 percent: July 2009
* November jobless rate: 10.1 percent, revised
* December 2008 rate: 8.1 percent
Sources: Tennessee Department of Labor, Georgia Department of Labor