- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
May unemployment numbers improve for Lake County, California
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – May's unemployment numbers showed improvement both locally and across the state, while the nation's unemployment ticked slightly upward.
The California Employment Development Department released its latest report on the state's job picture on Friday, reporting that California’s unemployment rate decreased to 10.8 percent in May, down from 10.9 percent in April and 11.9 percent in May 2011.
Nonfarm jobs in California totaled 14,276,400 in May, an increase of 33,900 jobs over the month, according to a survey of 42,000 businesses, one of two surveys used to determine California's unemployment numbers. The year-over-year change – May 2011 to May 2012 – showed an increase of 221,500 jobs, up 1.6 percent.
Lake’s preliminary May jobless rate was 14.7 percent, down 0.9 percentage points from April and down 1.6 percentage points over the year, the agency reported.
Lake County was ranked No. 45 out of the state's 58 counties for its May unemployment rate.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that unemployment was 8.2 percent in May, up from 8.1 percent in April but down from 9 percent in May 2011.
Marin had the lowest unemployment in the state, 6.3 percent, and Imperial County had the highest, with 26.8 percent, the report showed.
Among Lake's neighboring counties, Colusa County ranked No. 57 with 19.2 percent; Glenn, No. 42, 14.4 percent; Mendocino, No. 15, 9.7 percent; Napa, No. 5, 7.5 percent; Sonoma, No. 9, 8.3 percent; and Yolo, No. 24, 10.8 percent.
The Employment Development Department reported that Lake County's employment increased by 390 jobs between April and May, and added 310 jobs over the year. Seven sectors gained jobs or were unchanged over the year and four declined.
Year-over job growth occurred in the following categories: farm, 230; government, 90; trade, transportation and utilities, 70; financial activities, 10; and other services, 10, according to the report.
Industry sectors with no change over the year were information and professional and business services, the report showed.
The report said that industry sectors with declines over the year included private education and health services, -40; mining, logging and construction, -30); leisure and hospitality, -10; and manufacturing, -10.
The Employment Development Department reported that, statewide, there were 515,434 people receiving regular unemployment insurance benefits during the May survey week, compared to 552,163 in April and 553,041 in May 2011.
New unemployment insurance claims totaled 57,545 in May 2012, compared with 63,212 in April and 65,115 in May of last year, the state reported.
State, federal surveys show job increases
The state report on payroll employment (wage and salary jobs) in the nonfarm industries of California showed that jobs totaled 14,276,400 in May, a net gain of 33,900 jobs since the April survey. This followed a gain of 1,300 jobs (as revised) in April.
A federal survey of 5,500 households also showed an increase in the number of employed people, the state said.
That smaller survey estimated the number of Californians holding jobs in May was 16,501,000, an increase of 25,000 from April, and up 333,000 from the employment total in May of last year.
The number of people unemployed in California was 1,994,000 – down by 12,000 over the month, and down by 182,000 compared with May of last year, according to the report.
Eight categories – mining and logging; construction; manufacturing; information; financial activities; professional and business services; educational and health services; and leisure and hospitality – added jobs over the month, gaining 42,100 jobs, the state said. Leisure and hospitality posted the largest increase over the month, adding 13,200 jobs.
The Employment Development Department said three categories – trade, transportation and utilities; other services; and government – reported job declines over the month, down 8,200 jobs. Trade, transportation and utilities and government posted the largest decreases over the month, each down 3,300 jobs.
In a year-over-year comparison – May 2011 to May 2012 – nonfarm payroll employment in California increased by 221,500 jobs, up 1.6 percent, according to the state.
Eight categories – mining and logging; construction; trade, transportation and utilities; information; financial activities; professional and business services; educational and health services; and leisure and hospitality – posted job gains over the year, adding 268,000 jobs, the Employment Development Department said.
Professional and business services posted the largest gain on a numerical basis, adding 87,900 jobs, up 4.1 percent, while the state said mining and logging posted the largest gain on a percentage basis, up 4.6 percent, an increase of 1,300 jobs.
Three categories – manufacturing; other services; and government – posted job declines over the year, down 46,500 jobs, the report showed. Government posted the largest decline on a numerical basis, down by 37,000 jobs, a 1.5 percent decline.
Other services posted the largest decline on a percentage basis, down 1.6 percent, a decrease of 7,700 jobs, the state said.
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