California Unemployment Rates

SACRAMENTO - California’s unemployment rate was 12.6 percent in March, and nonfarm payroll jobs increased by 4,200 during the month, according to data released today by the California Employment Development Department (EDD) from two separate surveys.

The U.S. unemployment rate was unchanged in March at 9.7 percent.

In February, the state’s unemployment rate was 12.5 percent, and in March 2009, the unemployment rate was 10.6 percent. The unemployment rate is derived from a federal survey of 5,500 California households.

California has gained jobs in each of the first three months of 2010, with gains over the period totaling 32,400 jobs. Nonfarm jobs in California totaled 13,842,000 in March, an increase of 4,200 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 2009 to March 2010) shows a decrease of 458,400 jobs (down 3.2 percent).

EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT IN CALIFORNIA
The federal survey of households, done with a smaller sample than the survey of employers, shows an increase in the number of employed people during the month. It estimates the number of Californians holding jobs in March was 15,938,000, an increase of 53,000 from February, but down 463,000 from the employment total in March of last year.

The number of people unemployed in California was 2,308,000 – up by 31,000 over the month, and up by 362,000 compared with March of last year.

PAYROLL EMPLOYMENT DETAIL (SEASONALLY ADJUSTED)

EDD’s report on payroll employment (wage and salary jobs) in the nonfarm industries of California totaled 13,842,000 in March, a net gain of 4,200 jobs since the February survey. This followed a gain of 2,800 jobs (as revised) in February.

Five categories (mining and logging; manufacturing; educational and health services; leisure and hospitality; and other services) added jobs over the month, gaining 13,400 jobs. Educational and health services posted the largest increase over the month, adding 6,100 jobs. Five categories (construction; information; financial activities; professional and business services; and government) reported job declines this month, down 9,200 jobs. Information posted the largest decline over the month, down by 2,600 jobs. One sector, trade, transportation and utilities, recorded no change.

In a year-over-year comparison (March 2009 to March 2010), nonfarm payroll employment in California decreased by 458,400 jobs (down 3.2 percent).
One industry division, educational and health services, posted job gains over the year, adding 26,400 jobs (a 1.5 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 484,800 jobs. Construction employment showed the largest decline on both a numerical and percentage basis, down by 108,300 jobs (a decline of 16.3 percent).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CLAIMS (NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED)
In related data, the EDD reported that there were 768,583 people receiving regular unemployment insurance benefits during the March survey week. (When federal UI extensions are included, the total is 1,659,358 people receiving benefits.) This compares with 714,145 last month and 858,778 last year. At the same time, new claims for unemployment insurance were 70,450 in March 2010, compared with 63,766 in February and 79,979 in March of last year.