Calif. Jobs Increase in Aug., but Unemployment Climbs, Data Show
More than 29,000 new jobs were created in California last month, including 4,300 in the educational and health services sector, according to state Employment Development Department data, the Los Angeles Times reports.
However, the state's jobless rate still increased from 8.7% in July to 8.9% in August (Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 9/20).
Details of Data
The state added 29,100 jobs last month, with increased employment across nine of 11 sectors.
The data also show that:
- California is adding jobs at a slightly quicker rate than the U.S. as a whole;
- Coastal areas in the state are recovering more quickly from the recession; and
- High-paying jobs are recovering more quickly than low-paying jobs.
However, California's unemployment rate of 8.9% in August remains above the national average of 7.3%.
According to the data, 1.6 million state residents remain without work, 23,000 more than in July.
Reaction
Kevin Callori -- EDD spokesperson -- said that the state has had "two years of [unemployment] rate decreases" and that the recent increase is "definitely not with the prevailing trend."
Christopher Thornberg -- founding partner of Beacon Economics -- said California's unemployment rate is not yet cause for concern.
"You can't look at one or even two months of this data and say it means that much," Thornberg said.
Stephen Levy -- a senior economist for the Center for Continuing Study of the California Economy -- said that "[t]he more accurate number is the job creation" (Thompson, AP/U-T San Diego, 9/20).
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