Hispanic Unemployment Rate Rises

[rodbarnett]

Washington -- The unemployment rate for Hispanics jumped to 7.3 percent in January, reversing a decline over the second half of 2003, according to a private analysis of government data.

The January rate for Latinos was up from 6.6 percent in December, said the study released Monday by the Pew Hispanic Center, a Washington-based research group. The report cited more people entering or re-entering the labor force and looking for work as a main reason for the increase.

If economic conditions further improve, a surge in labor force participation among Hispanics could increase unemployment numbers, researcher Rakesh Kochhar said in the study.

The Labor Department earlier this month reported the national unemployment rate, regardless of race or ethnicity, dipped slightly from 5.7 percent in December to 5.6 percent in January.

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