DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa’s unemployment rate climbed to 4.5 percent in March as more people entered the labor force. Iowa Workforce Development announced Friday the rate was up from 4.4 percent in February. It compared to a 4.8 percent unemployment rate in March 2013.    Despite the higher rate, agency director Teresa Wahlert says total employment reached a record high of 1.6 million people.

The number of unemployed people also increased, from 74,200 in February to 76,000 in March. Just over 7,000 additional people joined the labor force. Iowa’s rate compares to a national unemployment rate of 6.7 percent.