The Massachusetts unemployment rate ticked higher in September and now sits half a percentage point above the rate one year ago.

The state’s jobless rate in September was reported Friday by the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development at 3.8%, up by 0.1 percentage points from August and 0.5 percentage points higher than the revised September 2023 unemployment rate of 3.3%.

Citing Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the state agency also reported that preliminary job estimates for Massachusetts decreased by 2,600 jobs in September, following a revised loss of 2,100 jobs in August.

From September 2023 to September 2024, BLS estimates Massachusetts gained 34,100 jobs, the state said.

The Massachusetts unemployment rate this year was as low as 2.9% in February, March and April.

The national unemployment rate in September was 4.1%, up from 3.8% a year ago.

Walmart settles shareholder lawsuit

Walmart said it has reached a proposed settlement pact related to three lawsuits filed by shareholders on behalf of the company over the handling of prescription opioids.

According to the terms of the settlement that were disclosed in a regulatory filing Friday, insurance carriers will pay Walmart $123 million, excluding any attorneys’ fees and expenses awarded by the court to the plaintiffs’ counsel. Walmart would also maintain certain corporate governance practices for at least five years, according to the filing.

The settlement doesn’t include any admission of liability by Walmart. It’s subject to court approval.

In 2022, Walmart agreed to pay $3.1 billion to settle lawsuits nationwide over the impact of prescriptions its pharmacies filled for powerful prescription opioid painkillers.