AUGUSTA — Maine’s unemployment rate ticked up slightly in August to 5.6 percent.

The Maine Department of Labor said Friday that the jobless rate was up from 5.5 from July, but remains one percentage point lower than it was a year ago.

The department says that 39,800 people were unemployed in August, down 7,400 from last year.

Maine’s unemployment rate remains below the national average of 6.1 percent and the New England average of 5.9 percent.

Republican Gov. Paul LePage said the Maine Job Bank has more than 8,000 job openings and encouraged people interested in a new job or to change careers to seek help at Maine’s CareerCenters.