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California unemployment for August 2009: 12.2%

I mentioned in my entry for U.S. unemployment (9.7%) in August that California reported RECORD unemployment in August 2009 of 12.2%, up from California’s July unemployment of 11.9%. The Employment Development Department (EDD) news release of September 18, 2009 gives even greater detail.

California’s nonfarm payroll jobs decreased by 12,300 during August 2009. The year-ago unemployment rate for California was 7.6% in August 2008. The year-over-year (August 2008 to August 2009) change in number of jobs in California is a decrease of 741,500 jobs (down 5.0%).

The federal survey of households, which has a smaller sample size than the survey of employers, shows a decrease in the number of employed people. The federal survey estimates that the number of Californians with jobs in August was 16,143,000, which is a decrease of 116,000 from July 2009 and down 895,000 from August 2008.

Nonfarm payroll employment (wage and salary jobs) totaled 14,234,100 in August 2009, down 12,300 since the July survey. This loss follows a REVISED loss of 38,900 jobs in July.

Three categories (information, educational and health services, and government) ADDED jobs over the month of August, gaining 11,400 jobs. Educational and health services showed the largest increase, up 6,000 jobs. Eight categories (natural resources and mining; construction; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; financial activities; professional and business services; leisure and hospitality; and other services) reported job declines in August 2009, down 23,700 jobs. Trade, transportation and utilities showed the largest decline, down 7,100 jobs.

In a year-over-year comparison (August 2008 to August 2009), nonfarm payroll employment in California declined by 741,500 jobs.

One industry, educational and health services, showed job gains ofer the year, adding 12, 200 jogs, a 0.8% increase.

“Ten categories (natural resources and mining; construction; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; information; financial activities; professional and business services; leisure and hospitality; other services; and government) posted job declines over the year, down 755,700 jobs. Trade, transportation and utilities employment showed the largest decline on a numerical basis, down by 190,700 jobs (a decline of 6.7 percent). Construction posted the largest decline on a percentage basis, down by 18.5 percent (a decrease of 142,000 jobs).”

EDD reported 790,099 people who received regular unemployment insurance benefits during the August survey week. This figure compares with 812,165 last month and 504,667 last year. New claims for unemployment insurance were 69,488 in August 2009, as compared with 80,048 in July and 51,731 in August 2008.

The EDD report has detailed tables of data as well. The unemployment rate in 13 California counties in August 2009 was greater than or equal to 15%. Imperial County had the highest unemployment rate at 28.7%.

-Bill at Cheshire Cat Photo™

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