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Unemployment declines

March 31, 2010

The month of March saw an unexpected drop in Germany's employment rate. But officials at the Federal Employment Agency say the numbers are more than just a seasonal fluke.

https://p.dw.com/p/Mit4
A field of flowers
Employment is improving along with the weatherImage: AP

German unemployment figures for the month of March indicate there is improvement on the job market.

The unemployment rate took a surprising plunge in the month of March, with 75,000 fewer jobless than in February.

The Federal Labor Agency on Wednesday said that the total number of people registered as jobless fell to 3.57 million, or 8.5 percent of the workforce.

Weathering the crisis

The head of the Federal Labor Agency said the numbers were more than just a seasonal fluke.

"Even beyond the seasonal influences, the German labor market has coped well with the economic crisis," said chief Frank-Juergen Weise.

Experts had predicted an increase in the number of unemployed by between 3,000 and 15,000 people.

The Federal Labor Office credited part-time work and other agreements with stabilizing the labor market.

smh/dpa/Reuters
Editor: Matt Hermann