THE REGIONAL LABOR MARKET CONTINUED TO SET NEW RECORDS IN JOB CREATION, BUT UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS INCREASED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NEARLY FOUR YEAR. THAT ACCORDING TO DR. STEB HIPPLE WITH THE COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AT EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY. EMPLOYMENT ROSE BY TWO PERCENT, WHICH REFLECTS A GAIN OF NEARLY 46-HUNDRED JOBS COMPARED TO THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR. JOB LEVELS WERE UP 2.7 PERCENT IN JOHNSON CITY, TWO PERCENT IN KINGSPORT AND 1.5 PERCENT IN BRISTOL. UNEMPLOYMENT ROSE IN BRISTOL AND JOHNSON CITY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THREE YEARS BUT CONTINUED TO DECLINE IN KINGSPORT. DR. HIPPLE SAID JOB GROWTH WAS LED BY LARGE INCREASES IN CONSTRUCTION, GOVERNMENT AND RETAIL TRADE.