23 February 2009 -- PHOENIX, AZ: NICOLE HALL, from Phoenix, right, meets with DARRYL TAYLOR, a Career Guidance Counselor, at the Maricopa Workforce Connections office in Phoenix, AZ. Hall said she's been out of work since October 2008 and is looking for a clerical position. Maricopa Workforce Connections helps people find work and transition to new work environments. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment in Arizona increased from 3.9 percent in April 2008 to 6.9 percent in December 2008. Photo By Jack Kurtz / ZUMA Press