Arizona’s unemployment rate is up, rising from 7.8 percent in November to 7.9 percent in December.

Department of Administration economists say job gains in the private sector were outpaced by job losses in the public sector.

The department says six economic sectors gained jobs while five others lost jobs.

The leisure and hospitality sector had the biggest increase with 1,300 additional jobs, followed by education and health services with 1,100 additional jobs.

The government sector lost 1,700 jobs.