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The Employment Development Department reported that Lake County's unemployment rate dropped from an unadjusted rate of 17.3 percent in July to 16.8 percent in August. The county registered 14.8 percent unemployment in August 2009.
Lake ranked 53 out of the state's 58 counties for its August unemployment rate, the report showed.
Statewide, unemployment edged up to 12.4 percent in August from 12.3 percent in July, with nonfarm payroll jobs decreasing by 33,500 during the month, based on data derived from two separate surveys that the Employment Development Department released. The August 2009 unemployment rate was 12 percent.
The U.S. unemployment rate also increased in August to 9.6 percent, up from 9.5 percent in July, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That national rate for August actually is slightly lower than in August 2009, when nationwide unemployment reached 9.7 percent.
A federal survey of 5,500 households, done with a smaller sample than the survey of employers, showed an increase in the number of employed people during the month. It estimated the number of Californians holding jobs in August was 15,968,000, a decrease of 49,000 from July, and down 71,000 from the employment total in August of last year.
The number of people unemployed in California was 2,261,000, up by 11,000 over the month, and up by 81,000 compared with August of last year, the state reported.
“The latest job numbers show that Californians are continuing to suffer from slow job growth, and things will only improve when there is strong hiring in the private sector,” said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. “That is the No. 1 reason I went on my trade mission – to drum up support for California’s products and services and create jobs.”
Schwarzenegger said it must be made easier for businesses to invest and hire to help turn the economy around.
The Employment Development Department reported that there were 620,844 people receiving regular
unemployment insurance benefits during the August survey week, compared with 666,502 in July and 790,099 in August 2009. At the same time, new claims for unemployment insurance were 65,261 in August, compared with 73,817 in July and 69,488 in August of last year.
This past August, Imperial County registered the highest unemployment rate, at 30.4 percent, with Marin having the lowest rate, with 8.4 percent, according to the report.
Lake County's labor force was composed of 26,360 people in August, of which 4,430 were unemployed. That's compared to 26,120 workers and 4,520 unemployed the previous month, based on state labor statistics.
Lake's neighboring counties posted the following rates and state rankings: Glenn, 17 percent, No. 55; Yolo, 11.6 percent, No. 22; Mendocino, 10.8 percent, No. 14; Sonoma, 10.5 percent, No. 11; and Napa, 9.4 percent, No. 4.
Within Lake County, Upper Lake had the lowest unemployment in August, with 8.7 percent, while Clearlake Oaks registered a 24.9 percent rate.
The following unemployment rates were reported for other areas of the county, from highest to lowest: Nice, 24.4 percent; city of Clearlake, 24 percent; Lucerne, 17.7 percent; Kelseyville, 17.1 percent; Middletown, 17 percent; city of Lakeport, 16.2 percent; Cobb, 15 percent; Lower Lake, 14.1 percent; Hidden Valley Lake, 13.9 percent; and north Lakeport, 13.3 percent.
State data shows lost jobs over the month
The Employment Development Department's report on payroll employment – wage and salary jobs – in the nonfarm industries of California showed that jobs totaled 13,827,900 in August, a net loss of 33,500 jobs since the July survey. This followed revised data that showed a loss of 22,900 jobs in July.
The report showed that two categories – mining and logging; and professional and business services – added jobs from July to August, gaining 500 jobs. Professional and business services posted the largest increase over the month, adding 300 jobs.
At the same time, the state reported that nine categories – construction; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; information; financial activities; educational and health services; leisure and hospitality; other services; and government – reported job declines this month, down 34,000 jobs.
Of that group, government posted the largest jobs decline over the month, down by 9,200 jobs, which the state said included the loss of 7,700 temporary federal Census jobs.
In a year-over-year comparison – August 2009 to August 2010 – nonfarm payroll employment in California decreased by 113,100 jobs (down 0.8 percent), the Employment Development Department said.
Three industry divisions – mining and logging; professional and business services; and educational and health services – posted job gains over the year, adding 61,500 jobs. At the same time, the state said professional and business services recorded the largest increase over the year on a numerical basis, up 38,700 jobs, a 1.9 percent increase.
Mining and logging recorded the largest increase over the year on a percentage basis, up 2.4 percent, or an increase of 600 jobs, the state reported.
State data showed six categories – construction; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; financial activities; leisure and hospitality; other services; and government – posted job declines over the year, down 174,600 jobs.
Based on the report, government employment showed the largest decline over the year on a numerical basis, down by 47,700 jobs, a decline of 1.9 percent, while construction showed the largest decline over the year on a percentage basis, down by 7.6 percent or 44,700 jobs.
One sector, information, reported no change over the month, the state report showed.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf .
