January 27, 2020 - SACRAMENTO – California’s unemployment rate held steadfast at its record low of 3.9 percent in December as the state’s employers added 12,600 nonfarm payroll jobs, according to data released today by the California Employment Development Department (EDD) from two surveys. The job gains in December contribute to a record job expansion in California of 118 months, surpassing the long expansion of the 1960s. California has gained 3,422,900 jobs since the current expansion began in February 2010, accounting for more than 15 percent of the nation’s 22,688,000 job gain over the same timeframe.
California’s Labor Market, by the Numbers...
- The state’s unemployment remained at 3.9 percent1 in December, maintaining a record low in a data series going back to the 1970s. The number of unemployed Californians is the lowest since 1989, despite large gains in statewide population since.
- The nation’s unemployment rate also remained unchanged in December, holding at 3.5 percent.
- December’s 12,600 nonfarm payroll jobs2 gain was driven by growth in 6 of California’s 11 industry sectors. Professional & Business Services (6,500) posted the biggest jobs gain, fueled mostly by scientific research and development and advertising and related services. Educational & Health Services (5,200) also did well with job gains in dental offices and in-home supportive services leading the way.
- Information, one of November’s top job-gaining sectors, posted December’s biggest jobs loss (-3,900) mainly due to weakness last month in the motion picture and sound recording subsector.
1. The unemployment rate comes from a federal survey of 5,100 California households.
2. The nonfarm payroll job numbers come from a separate federal survey of 80,000 California businesses.
Data Trends about Jobs in the Economy
Total Nonfarm Payroll Jobs (Comes from a monthly survey of approximately 80,000 California businesses that estimates jobs in the economy – seasonally adjusted)
- Month-over – Total nonfarm jobs in California’s 11 major industries totaled 17,612,500 in December – a net gain of 12,600 jobs from November. This followed a revised gain of 24,000 jobs in November.
- Year-over – Total nonfarm jobs increased by 310,300 jobs (a 1.8 percent increase) from December 2018 to December 2019 compared to the U.S. annual gain of 2,108,000 jobs (a 1.4 percent increase).
EEOmail@edd.ca.gov or call toll free 1-866-490-8879. " style="box-sizing: border-box; vertical-align: middle; border-style: none; width: 1099.99px; max-width: 1100px;">Total Farm jobs – The number of jobs in the agriculture industry increased by 3,100 jobs from November to 439,100. The agricultural industry has added 7,800 farm jobs since December 2018.
Data Trends about Workers in the Economy
Employment and Unemployment in California (Based on monthly federal survey of 5,100 California households which focuses on workers in the economy)
- Employed – The number of Californians holding jobs in December was 18,786,800, an increase of 56,400 from November and up 81,800 from the employment total in December of last year.
- Unemployed – The number of unemployed Californians was 757,700 in December, a decrease of 4,100 over the month and down by 44,900 compared with December of last year.
Unemployment Insurance Claims (not seasonally adjusted) In related data that figures into the state’s unemployment rate, there were 327,751 people receiving Unemployment Insurance benefits during the survey week in December compared to 293,595 in November and 338,747 people in December 2018. Concurrently, 50,116 people filed new claims in December which was a month-over increase of 680 people.
Source: EDD
