Jobless rate highest in 30 years in Mass.

(NECN: Brad Puffer, Boston, Mass.) – In Massachusetts, the unemployment rate continues to rise, now reaching the highest level since 1976. “The payroll employment figures we were seeing in late spring and early summer showing job losses had bottom out are probably in error and we have probably been losing jobs all throughout the summer.” The new numbers released Thursday, show Massachusetts unemployment rate is now at 9.3 percent. 92-hundred jobs were lost just last month. 58-hundred in leisure and hospitality. Alan Clayton Matthews, an economist at northeastern university, says these numbers are worse than predicted. Alan Clayton-Matthews, Northeastern University: “Now it appear MA has not turned the corner we are still in a decline still in a recession and indeed we are probably doing worst than the rest of the nation “And economist say those unemployment numbers will likely continue to rise, peaking out sometime early to the middle of next year.” “I believe we will get over nine five I don’t know if we will go to ten, I certainly hope we won’t but that is within the realm of possibility.” Matthews says while the unemployment rate in Massachusetts may be better that the national average that is to be expected, given the high education level in the state. But that means there are few options for those without jobs. “In this recession virtually every state is doing poorly so there is no where to go to find a job, and many households are tied here because of the housing market so instead of people migrating to find new work you see unemployment continuing to rise here.” Economists say even if companies begin to recover and do better, there is always a lag between when profits return and when those companies feel they are in a position to hire again.