CALIFORNIA BUSINESS MINUTE
Employment
04-21-08
Hi, I am Tim Johnson and welcome to the California Business Minute.
The state Employment Development Department released employment figures for March.
Unemployment increased to 6.2 percent from the previous month of 5.7 percent. Californias
estimated unemployment rate was 5.0 percent from March 2007.
Californias unemployment rate began to rise in October 2007; it remained unchanged in
November and rose again in December leveling off again in January, decreased in February
and now has increased again.
Seven out of the 11 employment sectors saw increases such as trade, transportation &
utilities, professional and business services, education and health services, leisure and
hospitality and government saw the largest increases while construction, manufacturing
information services and financial services posted losses over the year.
Six counties had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. average of 5.1 percent in March;
Marin, Mono, Orange, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo and San Mateo, down from 8 counties
in December. However on the opposite side of the unemployment picture 23 counties have
double-digit unemployment up from 19 counties in February and 21 in January and from 13
counties for December. Those that have double digit unemployment; Colusa, Fresno, Glenn,
Imperial, Kern, Kings, Lake, Lassen, Madera, Merced, Modoc, Monterey, Plumas, San Benito,
San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Stanislaus, Sutter, Trinity, Tulare and Yuba. 36 out of
the 58 counties in the state have higher unemployment rates than the national average.
Marin and San Mateo counties had the lowest unemployment rates at 4.1 percent up from 3.9
percent. Colusa County had the highest at 16.9 down from 18.9 percent in February and 19.6 in
January.
I am Tim Johnson and this has been the California Business Minute.
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