The state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 4.9 percent in November, the highest in more than nine years, according to data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The 4.9 percent jobless rate was 2 percentage points higher than the same month last year and up 0.3 percentage point from October. Unemployment has climbed steadily since late last year and has been fueled by dozens of companies laying off thousands of workers.

Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 6.7 percent last month, the highest since October 1993, when it stood at 6.8 percent. Michigan had the country's highest rate at 9.6 percent, followed by Rhode Island at 9.3 percent, while Wyoming had the lowest rate at 3.2 percent.