LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – While there have been improvements in the unemployment picture around the nation and here in Lake County over the last several months, those gains rolled back slightly in June.
The latest report from the California Employment Development Department showed that California's unemployment was at 11.8 percent in June, up slightly from May's 11.7 percent but down from 12.4 percent in June 2010.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that nationwide unemployment was 9.2 percent in June, compared to 9.1 percent for May and 9.5 percent in June of last year.
Lake County's unemployment rate in June was 17.3 percent, up from 16.8 percent in May, which had been the lowest rate for the county since June of 2010, when it was 16.7 percent, according to state records. This June's unemployment rate ranked Lake 51st amongst the state's 58 counties.
The Employment Development Department said nonfarm jobs in California totaled 14,068,600 in June, an increase of 28,800 jobs over the month, according to a survey of 42,000 businesses that measures jobs in the economy.
The state's year-over-year change – June 2010 to June 2011 – shows an increase of 156,800 jobs, up 1.1 percent, the report noted.
The number of people unemployed in California was 2,134,000 – up by 18,000 over the month, but down by 116,000 compared with June of last year.
At the same time, a federal survey of households, which uses a smaller sample than the survey of
employers, shows a decrease in the number of employed people, estimating the number of Californians holding jobs in June was 15,910,000, a decrease of 37,000 from May, and down 13,000 from the employment total in June of last year.
The Employment Development Department reported that there were 528,919 people receiving regular
unemployment insurance benefits during the June survey week, compared to 553,041 in May and 643,428 in June of 2010.
The agency said new claims for unemployment insurance in June were up, totaling 74,944, compared with 65,115 in May and 75,866 in June of last year.
Marin continued to have the lowest unemployment in March, at 8 percent, while Imperial topped the state with 28.5 percent, the state said.
Dennis Mullins of the Employment Development Department's Labor Market Information Division said Lake County industry employment increased by 680 in June, ending the month-over period with 13,690 jobs.
Eight industry sectors gained jobs or were unchanged over the month and three declined, Mullins said. Government is down 50 jobs over the month and remained down 200 over the year.
Mullins said month-over job growth occurred in farm, which gained 600 jobs; Mining, logging and construction, 20; manufacturing, 20; trade, transportation and utilities; leisure and hospitality, 80; and other services, 20.
Industries with no change over the month were information and professional and business services, while Mullins said industries that declined locally over the month included financial activities and private educational and health services, which each lost 10 jobs, and government, with 50 jobs lost.
Lake's neighboring counties registered the following unemployment rates and statewide ranks: Colusa, 19.1 percent, No. 55; Glenn, 16.2 percent, No. 45; Yolo, 12.1 percent, No. 23; Mendocino, 10.9 percent, No. 13; Napa, 9.2 percent, No. 5; and Sonoma, 10.1 percent, No. 8.
Among Lake County's communities, Clearlake Oaks had the highest unemployment, 25.5 percent, followed by Nice, 25 percent; the city of Clearlake, 24.6 percent; Lucerne, 18.2 percent; Kelseyville, 17.6 percent; Middletown, 17.5 percent; city of Lakeport, 16.7 percent; Cobb, 15.5 percent; Lower Lake, 14.5 percent; Hidden Valley Lake, 14.3 percent; north Lakeport, 13.7 percent; and Upper Lake, 9 percent.
Lake County's labor force in June was composed of 25,630 people, a 3.3-percent increase over May but a 2.8 percent loss since June 2010, when there were 26,360 local workers.
State details job growth, losses
Based on the Employment Development Department's report, seven categories – manufacturing; information; financial activities; professional and business services; educational and health services; leisure and hospitality; and other services – added jobs over the month, gaining 40,900 jobs. Professional and business services posted the largest increase over the month, adding 16,400 jobs.
Two categories – construction and trade, transportation and utilities – reported job declines over the month, down 12,100 jobs. Trade, transportation and utilities posted the largest decrease over the month, down 11,000 jobs. Two categories, mining and logging and government, recorded no change over the month.
Eight categories (mining and logging; construction; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; information; professional and business services; educational and health services; and leisure and hospitality) posted job gains over the year, adding 222,400 jobs, according to the report.
Of those groups, the state said professional and business services posted the largest gain on a numerical basis, adding 66,300 jobs, up 3.2 percent. Information posted the largest gain on a percentage basis, up by 6.5 percent, an increase of 27,900 jobs.
Three categories – financial activities; other services; and government – posted job declines over the year, down 65,600 jobs. Government posted the largest decline on both a numerical and percentage basis, down by 61,600 jobs, a decrease of 2.5 percent, the Employment Development Department reported.
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