Los Angeles County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was unchanged in February, holding at 6% that same total in January, according to data released Friday by the California Employment Development Department.
The 6% rate was higher than the 5.4% rate that posted in February 2024.
In Orange County, the February unemployment rate was 3.9%, falling below a revised 4.1% in January and unchanged from 3.9% a year ago.
California’s seasonally adjusted unemployment jobless rate was 5.4% in February, unchanged from January but above the 5.1% tallied in February 2024. Nationwide comparable estimates totaled 4.1% in February, 4% in January and February of last year’s 3.9%.
Nonfarm employment in LA County totaled 4.58 million, an increase of 28,700 jobs between January and February.
The trade, transportation and utilities businesses lost 5,000 jobs in the month’s span.
Private education and health services, up 18,300 jobs, led February gains and accounted for 64% of the total nonfarm increase. Health care and social assistance rose by 9,300 jobs and accounted for more than 50% of the job additions. Private educational services, which gained 9,000 jobs, made up the remaining growth driven in part by private colleges, universities and professional schools’ 3,500 new positions.
The information industry, which is currently 26% below pre-pandemic levels, gained 8,600 positions, the EDD reported. Motion picture and sound recording, which account for 59% of entertainment industry employment, added the sector’s largest job additions in a year with 8,600.
Every remaining industry sector reported month-over job declines except professional and business services’ 3,600 new jobs, “other services” adding 1,100 jobs and manufacturing’s unchanged position.
The largest reductions were seen in trade, transportation, and utilities, which lost 5,000 positions, and centered around retail trade which lost 4,300. The government sector showed a loss of 900 jobs, financial activities lost 700 jobs, construction dropped 300 and mining and logging was down 100.
IE’s jobless rate falls in February
Riverside County’s unemployment rate in February was 5.2%, compared with 5.3% in January, based on preliminary EDD estimates.
According to figures, the February rate was four-tenths of a percentage point below the year-ago level, when countywide unemployment stood at 5.6%.
The rate in San Bernardino County declined slightly from 5.2% in January to February’s 5.1%. In February 2024 the unemployment rate in San Bernardino County was 5.1%
The regional Inland Empire unemployment rate, which combines Riverside and San Bernardino counties, was 5.1% last month, dropping from January’s 5.3%.
The EDD posted the unemployment data outside of its typical schedule because of “benchmarking,” a yearly statistical revision process in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Labor that aims to improve accuracy. Officials said the April jobless numbers will be released on schedule.
Bi-county data indicated that payrolls shrank by the widest margin in the trade, transportation and utilities sector, which shed an estimated 8,200 jobs, mainly in retail, as outlets and suppliers continued cutting back following the Holiday Season shopping blitz.
Additional loses were recorded in the agricultural, construction, financial services, manufacturing and public sectors, which lost an aggregate 1,700 positions, according to the EDD.
The health services and professional business services sectors expanded by 2,900 jobs, while miscellaneous unclassified industries increased by 300.
The information technology, leisure and mining sectors were unchanged.
