The California Employment Development Department's monthly report showed that Lake County's unemployment rate hit the 17.7 percent mark, a jump from its adjusted 16.4 percent rate in October.
Lake County's November unemployment rate is the highest reported since 1990, as far back as the Employment Development Department's online records extend.
The state's overall unemployment saw a small drop in November, from 12.5 percent in October to 12.3 percent in November, but up from 8.3 percent in November 2008, according to the report.
The U.S. unemployment rate was 10 percent in November, down from 10.2 percent in October but up from the 6.8 percent rate in November 2008, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Lake County's jump in November is likely the result of last month's closure of Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa, which was estimated to have taken away as many as 700 jobs, although at this time of year the resort usually had a seasonal reduction in its labor force.
The November numbers show only an increase of 190 unemployed people over October.
However, the report also showed that Lake County's overall labor force in November was reported at 24,750, down from October, when there were reported to be 25,600 people in the local labor force. In October, 4,200 people in Lake County were reported to be out of work, while in November there were 4,390 unemployed.
Within the county itself, the following unemployment rates were reported: Clearlake Oaks, 25.8 percent; Nice, 24.6 percent; city of Clearlake, 24.3 percent; Middletown, 21.6 percent; Lucerne, 18.5 percent; Kelseyville, 17.3 percent; city of Lakeport, 16 percent; north Lakeport, 15.6 percent; Cobb, 14. 6 percent; Hidden Valley Lake, 14.4 percent; Lower Lake, 14.1 percent; Upper Lake, 7.2 percent.
Six of California's 58 counties had higher unemployment rates than Lake: Yuba, 17.9 percent; Merced, 18.3 percent; Trinity, 19.1 percent; Sutter, 19.4 percent; Colusa, 22.6 percent; and Imperial, 29.2 percent.
The lowest unemployment in the state was in Marin, which had an 8 percent rate.
Lake's neighboring counties registered the following unemployment rates: Colusa, 22.6 percent; Glenn, 14.6 percent; Mendocino, 11.2 percent; Napa, 10 percent; Sonoma, 10.1 percent; and Yolo, 13.2 percent.
California's nonfarm payroll jobs totaled 14,194,200 in November, a net loss of 10,200 jobs since the October survey. This followed a gain of 31,100 jobs – as revised – in October, the Employment Development Department reported. Those numbers are based on a survey of 42,000 California businesses.
The year-over-year change – November 2008 to November 2009 – showed a decrease of 617,600 jobs, down 4.2 percent, according to the report.
A federal survey of 5,500 households showed an increase in the number of employed people, according to the report. That federal survey estimated the number of Californians holding jobs in November was 16,067,000, an increase of 26,000 from October, but down 931,000 from the employment total in November of last year.
The number of people unemployed in California in November was estimated at 2,254,000 – down by 45,000 from October – but up significantly from the 716,000 unemployed that were reported in November of last year.
The Employment Development Department reported that there were 781,449 people receiving regular
unemployment insurance benefits during the November survey week, compared with 740,272 in October and 593,670 in November 2008.
New claims for unemployment insurance were 84,738 in November, up slightly from 83,475 in
October and 80,920 in November of last year, the agency reported.
The Employment Development Department reported that five categories – mining and logging; construction; information; professional and business services; and other services – added jobs over the month, gaining 13,500 jobs. Professional and business services posted the largest increase over the month, adding 8,000 jobs.
At the same time, six categories reported job declines in November, down 23,700 jobs. They included manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; financial activities; educational and health services; leisure and hospitality; and government. Trade, transportation and utilities posted the largest decline over the month, down by 8,200 jobs.
The report showed that one industry division, educational and health services, posted job gains over the year, adding 18,900 jobs, a 1.1-percent increase.
Ten categories – mining and logging; construction; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; information; financial activities; professional and business services; leisure and hospitality; other services; and government – posted job declines over the year, down 636,500 jobs, the report explained.
Trade, transportation and utilities employment showed the largest decline on a numerical basis, down by 135,400 jobs, a decline of 4.9 percent. The report said that construction posted the largest decline on a percentage basis, down by 16.1 percent, a decrease of 118,200 jobs.
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