First the good news. In the past year California government, at all levels, fired 46,000. Barely a good start.
The bad news of course is the continued misleading information on unemployment by government. Sacramento is claiming an 11% rate—but that does not include the discouraged, those who work part time, but want full time work. It does not cover those who were unemployed for two years and have lost their benefits.
For example,” Madera County, 16.6 percent; (15.5 percent)
Madera County unemployment increased by more than 1% in just a month.
California is in a deepening Depression. Could it be because of Brown, Munger and thee unions demand for $160 billion in new taxes?
What do you think?
California’s unemployment rate increases to 11.0 percent
Central Valley Business Times, 4/20/12
• Nonfarm payroll jobs increase by 18,200 in March
• In Central Valley, only Yolo County sees a dip
California’s unemployment rate increased to 11.0 percent in March, even as the number of nonfarm payroll jobs increased by 18,200 during the month for a total gain of 385,900 jobs since the recovery began in September 2009, according to data released Friday by the California Employment Development Department from two separate surveys.
The U.S. unemployment rate decreased in March to 8.2 percent.
Here are the MARCH 2012 Central Valley unemployment rates, followed by those from February 2012, which are in parentheses. All are estimates:
• Butte County, 13.8 percent; (13.6 percent)
• Fresno County, 17.4 percent; (17.3 percent)
• Kern County, 15.9 percent; (15.5 percent)
• Kings County, 17.4 percent; (17.0 percent)
• Madera County, 16.6 percent; (15.5 percent)
• Merced County, 20.2 percent; (20.0 percent)
• Sacramento County, 11.4 percent; (11.2 percent)
• San Joaquin County, 16.7 percent; (16.6 percent)
• Stanislaus County, 17.4 percent; (17.1 percent)
• Tulare County, 18.3 percent; (17.6 percent)
• Yolo County, 14.2 percent; (14.4 percent)
• Yuba County, 18.3 percent (18.1 percent)
The state’s highest unemployment rate in MARCH was in Colusa and Imperial counties where 26.2 percent of the adult workforce was unemployed.
The lowest MARCH jobless rate was 7.0 percent in Marin County.
In February, the state’s unemployment rate was 10.9 percent, and in March 2011, the unemployment rate was 11.9 percent. The unemployment rate is derived from a federal survey of 5,500 California households.
Nonfarm jobs in California totaled 14,237,300 in March, an increase of 18,200 jobs over the month, according to a survey of businesses that is larger and less variable statistically. The survey of 42,000 California businesses measures jobs in the economy. The year-over-year change (March 2011 to March 2012) shows an increase of 181,000 jobs (up 1.3 percent).
The federal survey of households, done with a smaller sample than the survey of employers, shows an increase in the number of employed people. It estimates the number of Californians holding jobs in March was 16,457,000, an increase of 2,000 from February, and up 278,000 from the employment total in March of last year.
The number of people unemployed in California was 2,031,000 – up by 19,000 over the month, but down by 148,000 compared with March of last year.
EDD’s report on payroll employment (wage and salary jobs) in the nonfarm industries of California totaled 14,237,300 in March, a net gain of 18,200 jobs since the February survey. This followed a gain of 38,600 jobs (as revised) in February.
Seven categories (mining and logging; trade, transportation and utilities; financial activities; professional and business services; educational and health services; leisure and hospitality; and government) added jobs over the month, gaining 37,800 jobs. Leisure and hospitality posted the largest increase over the month, adding 13,800 jobs.
Four categories (construction; manufacturing; information; and other services) reported job declines over the month, down 19,600 jobs. Information posted the largest decrease over the month, down 13,400 jobs.
In a year-over-year comparison (March 2011 to March 2012), nonfarm payroll employment in California increased by 181,000 jobs (up 1.3 percent).
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 235,200 jobs. Professional and business services posted the largest gain on a numerical basis, adding 66,300 jobs (up 3.1 percent). Information posted the largest gain on a percentage basis, up 3.8 percent (adding 16,300 jobs).
Three categories (manufacturing; other services; and government) posted job declines over the year, down 54,200 jobs. Government posted the largest decline on both a numerical and percentage basis, down by 46,000 jobs (a decrease of 1.9 percent).
In related data, the EDD reported that there were 570,089 people receiving regular unemployment insurance benefits during the March survey week. This compares with 565,418 last month and 630,829 last year. At the same time, new claims for unemployment insurance were 55,393 in March 2012, compared with 55,287 in February and 61,076 in March of last year.
