Alabama's unemployment rate has dipped to 6.9 percent.
Gov. Robert Bentley said the preliminary April rate is below the 7.2 percent recorded in March and the 7.4 percent measured a year ago. Bentley said the state saw two positive signs in April. The number of people employed increased and the number of people in the labor force increased. Bentley says that shows people are regaining confidence in the economy and looking for jobs.
Counties with the lowest unemployment rates are Shelby at 4.0 percent, Lee at 4.9 percent and Blount at 5.0 percent. The counties with the highest rates are Wilcox at 14.8 percent, Perry at 11.7 percent and Dallas at 11.4 percent.
