PORTLAND, Maine (AP) Unemployment nudged upward in Maine in January, and remains higher than it was a year ago.

The state’s unemployment rate was 5.2 percent, up from 5 percent in December, the Maine Department of Labor said. The rate was 3 percent a year previous, before the coronavirus pandemic upended the worldwide economy.

The Labor Department said one reason the unemployment rate ticked up was that more people have started seeking work. The percentage of labor force participation increased nearly half a percentage point to almost 60 percent, the Portland Press Herald reported.

The percentage of people participating in the labor force was higher before the pandemic. However, the labor department said increased participation is a good sign for the state economy and jobs picture.

Maine’s unemployment rate was lower than the nationwide rate of 6.3 percent.