LITTLE ROCK – Governor Asa Hutchinson released the following statement on the decline in the unemployment rate for July.

“Our unemployment rate continues to be significantly below the national rate, and the fact that unemployment is now down to 4.3% reflects a growing economy in the state. The job opportunities are abundant with virtually every employer in Arkansas needing more workers. The challenge is the number of Arkansans who have not returned to the labor force after they lost a job early in the pandemic. There is a constant need to increase the number of workers in order to keep our economy vibrant.”