6:01am | Long Beach’s unemployment rate rose more than half a percentage point to 13.6 percent in June from the previous month’s rate of 13 percent, in step with a downturn statewide in the unemployment picture.

Unemployment in Los Angeles County rose to 12 percent in June from a revised 11.9 percent in May and was below the rate of 12.6 percent one year ago, a report released on Friday by the Employment Development Department showed.

Civilian employment fell by 18,000 jobs to 4.287 million in June, while unemployment increased by 4,000 to 587,000 over the month, the report showed.

California’s unemployment rate was 11.8 percent in June, 11.7 percent in May and 12.4 percent a year ago in June. Nationally, unemployment was 9.2 percent in June, 9.1 percent in May, and 9.5 percent a year ago.

Of course, the finger-pointing started quickly. California Republican Party Chairman Tom Del Beccaro was first out, issuing a statement affixing the blame.

“Unemployment numbers released today provide another month of indisputable data that show the Democrats’ anti-job policies have consistently failed to put California back to work,” he stated Friday. “The complete disregard that Jerry Brown and Barack Obama have shown toward job-creators in the once-Golden State has kept an unacceptable number of Californians on the sidelines for far too long.”

Long Beach’s unemployment rate had dipped below the 13-percent mark in April, dropping to 12.9 percent in April from 13.4 percent in March, according to the EDD.

Lisa Richards, regional vice president of Ajilon Professional Staffing, said that hiring trends are in line with the latest employment numbers.

“We have seen a particular increase in demand for workers in the manufacturing and professional services sectors for all levels of positions,” she said. “This includes clerical, mid-level management and executive support. 

“While Long Beach and California are experiencing slightly higher unemployment rates than the national average, we are seeing a positive trend with businesses continuing to regain confidence and adding headcount to their current staff as a result,” Richards continued. “We expect companies in a variety of sectors, ranging from manufacturing to healthcare to import/export businesses, to continue to hire through the rest of 2011.”

Educational and health services had the largest month-over job reduction at 11,900, largely the result of declines in colleges, universities and professional schools, the EDD report states.

Health care and social assistance experienced a loss of 1,000 jobs, and trade, transportation and utilities saw a decline of 1,900 jobs.

“This was a result from wholesale trade dropping 1,400 jobs, spread across merchant wholesalers, durable (down 400) and nondurable goods (down 800),” the report states. “Retail trade fell by 1,000 and transportation, warehousing and utilities gained 500.”