The U.S. unemployment rate decreased to 3.6 percent, and the nation’s employers added 263,000 nonfarm payroll jobs.
In April 2018, the state’s unemployment rate was 4.3 percent. The unemployment rate is derived from a federal survey of 5,100 California households.
Nonfarm payroll jobs in California totaled 17,403,500 in April, according to a survey of businesses that is larger and less variable statistically. The survey of 80,000 California businesses measures jobs in the economy. The year-over change from April 2018 to April 2019 shows an increase of 271,600 jobs (up 1.6 percent).
EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT IN CALIFORNIA
The federal household survey, done with a smaller sample than the survey of employers, shows a decrease in the number of employed Californians over the month. It estimates the number of Californians holding jobs in April was 18,692,000, a decrease of 50,000 from March and up 195,000 from the employment total in April of last year.
The number of unemployed Californians was 835,000 in April – a decrease of 3,000 over the month and up by 8,000 compared with April of last year.
PAYROLL EMPLOYMENT DETAIL (SEASONALLY ADJUSTED)
EDD’s payroll employment report (wage and salary jobs) in the nonfarm industries of California totaled 17,403,500 in April, a net gain of 46,000 jobs from March. This followed a revised gain of 28,500 jobs in March.
Month-over Job Gains
Nine of California’s eleven industry sectors added a total of 46,800 jobs in April. Educational and health services reported the largest increase with a gain of 17,300 jobs followed by leisure and hospitality which had a gain of 12,100 jobs. Other sectors adding jobs over the month were professional and business services, government, construction, other services, financial activities, manufacturing, and the trade, transportation and utilities industry sector.
Month-over Job Losses
Two of California industries reported job losses over the month. Information reported the largest decrease with a loss of 600 jobs while mining and logging had a loss of 200 jobs.
Year-over Job Gains
In a year-over-year comparison (April 2018 to April 2019), nonfarm payroll employment in California increased by 271,600 jobs (a 1.6 percent increase).
Ten of California’s eleven industry sectors added a total of 274,300 jobs over the year. The largest job gains were in educational and health services, up 78,800 (a 2.9 percent increase) and professional and business services, up 66,900 jobs (a 2.5 percent increase). Other sectors adding jobs over the year were leisure and hospitality, government, construction, information, manufacturing, other services, trade, transportation and utilities, and mining and logging.
Year-over Job Losses
The only industry that posted a year-over decline was financial activities with a job loss of 2,700.
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CLAIMS (NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED)
In related data, the EDD reported that there were 364,431 people receiving regular Unemployment Insurance benefits during the April survey week. This compares with 387,767 in March and 390,362 in April of last year. At the same time, new claims for Unemployment Insurance were 44,031 in April, compared with 39,965 in March and 40,848 in April of last year.
Source: EDD
