White House economic adviser Christina Romer (ROH'-mur) says the 10.2 percent unemployment rate for October is a stark reminder of how much more needs to be done to get people back to work.

Romer, who heads the president's Council of Economic Advisers, says the latest unemployment figure doesn't come as a surprise, but it's still disappointing.

She says there were some positive signs, such as an increase in temporary services employment, that indicate budding confidence in the job market.

The October rate was the highest since 1983. The economy shed a net total of 190,000 jobs in October.