- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
Report: Lake County's unemployment continues edging downward
The California Employment Development Department released its month unemployment report on Friday.
The report showed that Lake County's unemployment rate for June was 16.8 percent, down from 17.1 percent in May but up from the 14.8-percent rate reported in June 2009. The county ranked No. 50 out of the state's 58 counties for unemployment.
California’s unemployment rate decreased to 12.3 percent in June, down slightly from 12.4 percent from May, but up from 11.6 percent in June 2009. The state said that rate is derived from a federal survey of 5,500 California households.
Nonfarm jobs in California totaled 13,880,700 in June, a decrease of 27,600 over the month, according to a survey of businesses that is larger and less variable statistically. The state said the survey of 42,000 California businesses measures jobs in the economy.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the nation's June unemployment rate was 9.5 percent, down from 9.7 percent in May. That rate was the same as that registered in June 2009, the agency reported.
In California, the lowest unemployment rate in June once again was in Marin, where the number of jobless residents totaled 8.2 percent, up slightly from its 7.9 percent rate in May, according to the data.
The report showed that Imperial County repeated as the county with the state's highest unemployment rate, which in June was 27.6 percent.
Lake County's labor force included approximately 26,470 people in June, of which 4,460 were out of work. State records showed the county's workers totaled 25,810 in May, when 4,420 people were unemployed.
Lake's neighboring counties posted the following rates and state rankings: Glenn, 15.5 percent, No. 42; Mendocino, 10.8 percent, No. 13; Napa, 9.3 percent, No. 4; Sonoma, 10.4 percent, No. 10; and Yolo, 11.9 percent, No. 23.
Upper Lake was the county area with the lowest unemployment in June – 8.7 percent – while the highest unemployment locally was in Clearlake Oaks, where joblessness totaled 24.9 percent, according to detailed state labor data.
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, 17.8 percent; Kelseyville and Middletown tied with 17.1 percent; city of Lakeport, 16.2 percent; Cobb, 15.1 percent; Lower Lake, 14.1 percent; Hidden Valley Lake, 13.9 percent; north Lakeport, 13.3 percent.
State shows slight job losses in June
The California Employment Development Department reported that the state registered some job losses in June.
The report noted that the year-over-year change – June 2009 to June 2010 – showed a decrease of 186,100 jobs, down 1.3 percent.
The Employment Development Department reported that losses were primarily in government employment, mostly temporary federal census jobs, while private nonfarm payrolls grew by 1,300 jobs.
The federal survey of 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 June was 16,070,000, an increase of 8,000 from May, but down 100,000 from the
employment total in June of last year.
The number of people unemployed in California was 2,244,000 – down by 31,000 over the month, but up by 132,000 compared with June of last year, according to the Employment Development Department.
The agency reported that there were 643,428 people receiving regular unemployment insurance benefits during the June survey week, compared with 675,201 in May and 820,387 in 2009. At the same time, new claims for unemployment insurance were 75,866 in June 2010, compared with 70,439 in May and 86,016 in June of last year.
When federal unemployment insurance extensions are included, the total of people receive regular unemployment insurance benefits totals 1,425,207, officials said.
The state's report on payroll employment – wage and salary jobs – in the nonfarm industries of California totaled 13,880,700 in June, a net loss of 27,600 jobs since the May survey, the state said. That loss in June followed a gain of 31,100 jobs in May.
Six categories – mining and logging; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; professional and business services; educational and health services; and leisure and hospitality – added jobs over the month, gaining 16,200 jobs, the Employment Development Department said. Manufacturing posted the largest increase over the month, adding 7,300 jobs.
The Employment Development Department's data showed that five categories – construction;
information; financial activities; other services; and government – reported job declines in June, down 43,800 jobs. Government posted the largest decline over the month, down by 28,900 jobs.
In a year-over-year comparison, from June 2009 to June 2010, nonfarm payroll employment in California decreased by 186,100 jobs, down 1.3 percent, the state said.
Three industry divisions – information; professional and business services; and educational and health services – posted job gains over the year, adding 30,400 jobs. The state's data showed that educational and health services recorded the largest increase over the year on both a numerical and percentage basis, up 21,900 jobs, a 1.3-percent increase.
Eight categories – mining and logging; construction; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; financial activities; leisure and hospitality; other services; and government – posted job declines over the year, down 216,500 jobs, the state said.
Construction employment showed the largest decline over the year on both a numerical and percentage basis, down by 74,400 jobs, a 12-percent decline, according to the report.
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