LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County, like California overall, showed a minor rise in unemployment in March, while the nationwide rate remained unchanged, according to the state’s latest jobless report.
The California Employment Development Department said that Lake County’s March unemployment rate was 6.2 percent, compared to 6.1 percent in February. The year-ago rate was 5.7 percent.
California’s unemployment rose from 4.2 percent in February to 4.3 percent in March, and also was 4.3 percent in March 2018, according to the report.
The Employment Development Department said California’s employers added 24,500 nonfarm payroll jobs in March, for a total gain of 3,163,900 jobs since the economic expansion began in February 2010.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics said nationwide unemployment rate remained at 3.8 percent in March; it was 4 percent in March 2018. The nation’s employers added 196,000 nonfarm payroll jobs.
In Lake County in March, the civilian workforce totaled 29,570 individuals, up slightly from February, when 29,550 were reported, and March 2018, when the workforce totaled 29,560 people, according to state data.
Lake County’s unemployed residents numbered 1,840 in March, up from 1,810 in February and 1,700 in March 2018, the state reported.
Total farm jobs showed the largest industry job increase in Lake County last month, with 29.7 percent, followed by professional and business services, 1.7 percent.
Losses were reported in the federal government, -6.7 percent; transportation, warehousing and utilities, 1.9 percent; and mining, logging and construction, -1.2 percent.
Lake County’s March unemployment rate earned it a statewide ranking of No. 31.
Neighboring county jobless rates and rankings in March are as follows: Colusa, 20.6 percent, No. 58; Glenn, 8.2 percent, No. 44; Mendocino, 5.2 percent, No. 28; Napa, 3.5 percent, No. 9; Sonoma, 3.3 percent, No. 6; and Yolo, 5.3 percent, No. 29, the report said.
A look at California’s numbers
California’s unemployment rate is derived from a federal survey of 5,100 households. That survey estimated that the number of Californians holding jobs in March was 18,742,000, a decrease of 17,000 from February and up 274,000 from the employment total in March of last year.
A survey of 80,000 California businesses measures jobs in the economy. It counted nonfarm payroll jobs in California at 17,353,500 in March, a net gain of 24,500 jobs from February. This followed a revised gain of 20,900 jobs in February.
The year-over change from March 2018 to March 2019 shows an increase of 238,500 jobs, or a 1.4-percent increase.
The report said the number of unemployed Californians was 838,500 in March – an increase of 14,300 over the month and up by 5,200 compared with March of last year.
The following is a snapshot of what California industries showed gains and losses in March, according to the Employment Development Department report.
Month-over job gains: Nine of California’s eleven industry sectors added a total of 30,400 jobs in March. Construction reported the largest increase with a gain of 9,400 jobs. Other sectors adding jobs over the month were professional and business services, manufacturing, educational and health services, information, other services, leisure and hospitality, government, and mining and logging.
Month-over job losses: Two of California industries reported job losses over the month. Trade, transportation, and utilities reported the largest decrease with a loss of 5,800 jobs while financial activities had a loss of 100 jobs.
Year-over job gains: In a year-over-year comparison (March 2018 to March 2019), nonfarm payroll employment in California increased by 238,500 jobs, a 1.4-percent increase. Ten of California’s 11 industry sectors added a total of 242,700 jobs over the year. The largest job gains were in professional and business services, up 65,900, a 2.5-percent increase, and educational and health services, up 64,100 jobs, or a 2.4-percent increase. Other sectors adding jobs over the year were leisure and hospitality, government, construction, manufacturing, information, trade, transportation and utilities, other services, and mining and logging.
Year-over job losses: The only industry that posted a year-over decline was financial activities with a job loss of 4,200.
The Employment Development Department also reported that 387,767 people received regular Unemployment Insurance benefits during the March survey week, compared with 389,449 in February and 403,184 in March of last year.
New claims for Unemployment Insurance were 39,965 in March, compared with 34,593 in February and 39,330 in March of last year.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Local, state unemployment rates show minor increases; national rate stays steady
- Elizabeth Larson
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