HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate increased substantially in August as the national economy weakens.

The state Department of Labor and Industry said Thursday the jobless rate increased to 8.2 percent from 7.8 percent in July. The last time the state’s rate jumped that much was in February 2009, after the recession began.

The state’s unemployment rate is now at its highest point in seven months, while Pennsylvania’s post-recession high was 8.8 percent in January 2010.

The national rate for August was 9.1 percent.

The number of Pennsylvanians working or looking for work in August increased by 6,000, but resident employment fell by 16,000 and the number of unemployed residents rose 22,000 to an estimated 516,000.

The number of nonfarm jobs increased by 1,500, but remained below 5.7 million in August.