NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee's unemployment rate for January was 7.7 percent, a slight increase from the previous month.

Department of Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Karla Davis said Thursday that there are more than 2.8 million people employed in Tennessee.

That's the highest employment total for the state since December 2007.

The unemployment rate for last December was 7.6 percent. The national unemployment rate for January was 7.9 percent.

State figures show that nonfarm employment increased by 7,600 jobs between December and January.