The FY 2008 labor surplus area list includes areas in 47 states, the District of Columbia , and Puerto Rico . The list only includes those states and jurisdictions with designated labor surplus areas. All of the qualifying areas in the nation are listed in alphabetical order by state or state equivalent.
The reference period used in preparing the list was January 2005 through December 2006. The national average unemployment rate during this period was 4.9 percent. The qualifying rate for a FY 2008 labor surplus area classification is 6.0 percent. Areas included on the current annual labor surplus area list are those with an average unemployment rate of 6.0 percent or above during the previous two calendar years. For more information about the classification process and exceptional circumstance petition, see "Description of Labor Surplus Areas"
