California unemployment rate the same as February 2018

California’s unemployment rate remained unchanged for February.

According to the California Employment Development Department (EDD), the state’s rate came in at 4.2 percent in February, while the state’s employers added 14,600 nonfarm payroll jobs.

California has now gained a total of 3,133,100 jobs since the economic expansion began in February 2010.

The U.S. unemployment rate decreased by 0.2 percentage point to 3.8 percent, and the nation’s employers added 20,000 nonfarm payroll jobs.

In February 2018, the state’s unemployment rate was 4.3 percent. The unemployment rate derives from a federal survey of 5,100 California households.

Nonfarm payroll jobs in California totaled 17,322,700 in February, according to a survey. The study of 80,000 California businesses measures jobs in the economy. The year-over change from February 2018 to February 2019 shows an increase of 222,500 jobs (up 1.3 percent).

EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT IN CALIFORNIA

The federal household survey shows an increase in the number of employed Californians over the month and the year. It estimates the number of Californians holding jobs in February was 18,758,000 from January and up 318,000 from the employment total in February of last year.

The number of unemployed Californians was 824,200 in February. An increase of 6,600 over the month and down by 13,500 compared with February of last year.

PAYROLL EMPLOYMENT DETAIL

EDD’s payroll employment report (wage and salary jobs) in the nonfarm industries of California totaled 17,322,700 in February, gaining 14,600 jobs from January. This follows a revised increase of 5,900 jobs in January.

Month-over Job Gains

Six of California’s eleven industry sectors added a total of 30,900 jobs in February. Professional and business services reported the most significant increase with a gain of 12,500 jobs. Other areas adding jobs over the month were leisure and hospitality, trade, transportation and utilities, educational and health services, government, and information.

Month-over Job Losses

Five of California industries reported job losses over the month. Construction reported the most significant decrease with a loss of 7,700 jobs while manufacturing had a loss of 5,400 jobs. Other sectors losing jobs over the month were financial activities, other services, mining, and logging.

Year-over Job Gains

In a year comparison (February 2018 to February 2019), nonfarm payroll employment in California increased by 222,500 jobs (a 1.3 percent increase).

Ten of California’s eleven industry sectors added a total of 227,700 jobs over the year. The most significant job gains were in professional and business services, up 71,700 (a 2.7 percent increase) and educational and health services, up 65,200 jobs (a 2.4 percent increase). Other sectors adding jobs over the year were leisure and hospitality, government, trade, transportation and utilities, manufacturing, information, construction, other services, and mining and logging.

Year-over Job Losses

The only industry that posted a year-over decline was financial activities with a job loss of 5,200.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CLAIMS

In related data, the EDD reported that 389,449 people were receiving regular Unemployment Insurance benefits. It is compared with 376,402 in January and 396,030 in February of last year. At the same time, new claims for Unemployment Insurance were 34,593 in February, compared with 51,544 in January and 31,291 in February of last year.