12:01pm | The unemployment rate in March edged down slightly in Long Beach from 13.5 percent to 13.4 percent, in step with a countywide drop.
Los Angeles County saw its jobless rate drop for the month to 12.3 percent from a revised 12.6 percent in February, according to a report issued by the Employment Development Department on Friday. The countywide rate was below the rate of 12.4 percent in March 2010.
Despite the drops, the unemployed in Long Beach number about 31,500, according the EDD’s count.
Civilian employment decreased by 5,000 jobs to 4.28 million in March, and unemployment fell by 12,000 jobs to 603,000 over the month. The civilian labor force also reduced in size by 17,000 over the month to 4.88 million, according to the report.
California’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 12%percent in March, compared with 12.1 percent in February and 12.4 percent a year ago in March 2010. By comparison, the nation’s unemployment was 8.8 percent in March, 8.9 percent in February and 9.7 percent a year ago.
Professional and business services reported the largest month-over employment change, with an overall loss of 7,300 jobs for the county. Administrative and support and waste services lost 8,900 jobs, the report shows.
The information sector reduced payrolls by 2,700 jobs. Motion picture and sound recording, down 1,700 jobs, accounted for more than 62 percent of the jobs decline, according to the EDD.
In Long Beach, trade, transportation and utilities is an important sector. It, saw a loss of 2,500 jobs, with most of the losses falling under transportation, warehousing, and utilities.
Another big sector for the city, leisure and hospitality, was up 4,500 jobs countywide, which is the largest month-over employment gain, the report states.
Government payrolls expanded by 4,100 jobs. Within this sector, local government (up 4,000) job gains centered on local government education (up 3,300).
Educational and health services (up 16,100) reported the largest year-over employment increase. Health care and social assistance (up 9,200) accounted for the majority of this jobs growth.