Alabama’s jobless rate remained unchanged at 3.1% for the fourth straight month in January, the state Department of Labor said Monday.

The rate represented 69,141 people without jobs compared to 90,390 in January 2021, when many businesses were trying to return to normal during the COVID-19 pandemic. The state rate was better than the comparable U.S. unemployment rate of 4% in January.

Cullman County had 21 unemployment claims filed last week compared to 133 at the same time in 2021.

Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington said more than 33,000 jobs were created over the last year and total weekly earnings had increased $30.60.

“While holding steady may not seem like a positive thing to some, given the uncertainties that currently exist in our national economy, I’m proud to say that, so far, Alabama is maintaining positive employment trends,” he said in a statement.

Shelby County in metro Birmingham had the state’s lowest unemployment rate at 2.2%, and rural Wilcox County was worst at 11.2%.

Wallace State’s Center for Career and Workforce Development will host a Campus Career Fair on Tuesday, March 15 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Traditions Bank Arena at Tom Drake Coliseum.

Industries and businesses scheduled to attend include: Alabama Credit Union, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Alabama Department of Corrections, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, ALEA, Altec Industries, American Cast Iron Pipe Company, Blount County Sheriff’s Office, Central Garden & Pet, Cigna, Cullman County Sheriff’s Office, Decatur Police Department, Doster Construction, EOS Defense Systems, USA, Inc.; H&R Agri-Power, HH Technologies, Huntsville Police Department, ICool USA Inc., Jones Valley Fabrication, Kinder Morgan, Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, North Alabama Fabricating Company (NAFCO), Oneonta Police Department, Orchid Orthopedic Solutions, Prince Metal Stampings USA, Inc.; Progress Rail, Rausch Coleman Homes, REHAU, Rogers Group, Inc.; Salia Construction LLC, Schoel Engineering Company, Inc.; SERVPRO (Cullman and Blount Counties), Shirley Quattlebaum State Farm, Steward Machine Co., Inc.; Structure Medal LLC, SyBridge Technologies, Tractor Supply, Truckworx/Kenworth, Velocity Truck Center, Walpole, Inc.; and Yutaka.