January 22, 2016 - SACRAMENTO – California’s unemployment rate increased to 5.8 percent in December, and nonfarm payroll jobs increased by 60,400 during the month for a total gain of 2,198,800 jobs since the recovery began in February 2010, according to data released today by the California Employment Development Department (EDD) from two separate surveys.
The U.S. unemployment rate was unchanged in December at 5.0 percent.
In November, the state’s unemployment rate was 5.7 percent, and in December 2014, the unemployment rate was 7.1 percent. The unemployment rate is derived from a federal survey of 5,500 California households.
Nonfarm jobs in California totaled 16,320,100 in December, an increase of 60,400 jobs over the month, according to a survey of businesses that is larger and less variable statistically. The survey of 58,000 California businesses measures jobs in the economy. The year-overyear change, December 2014 to December 2015, shows an increase of 459,400 jobs (up 2.9 percent).
EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT IN CALIFORNIA
The federal survey of households, done with a smaller sample than the survey of employers, shows a decrease in the number of employed people. It estimates the number of Californians holding jobs in December was 17,900,000, a decrease of 10,000 from November, but up 334,000 from the employment total in December of last year.
The number of people unemployed in California was 1,096,000 – up by 14,000 over the month, but down by 251,000 compared with December of last year.
PAYROLL EMPLOYMENT DETAIL (SEASONALLY ADJUSTED)
EDD’s report on payroll employment (wage and salary jobs) in the nonfarm industries of California totaled 16,320,100 in December, a net gain of 60,400 jobs since the November survey. This followed a gain of 7,200 jobs (as revised) in November.
Ten categories (construction; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; information; financial activities; professional and business services; educational and health services; leisure and hospitality; other services; and government) added jobs over the month, gaining 60,500 jobs. Professional and business services posted the largest increase over the month, adding 15,800 jobs.
One category, mining and logging, reported job declines over the month, down 100 jobs.
In a year-over-year comparison (December 2014 to December 2015), nonfarm payroll employment in California increased by 459,400 jobs (up 2.9 percent).
Nine categories (construction; trade, transportation and utilities; information; financial activities; professional and business services; educational and health services; leisure and hospitality; other services; and government) posted job gains over the year, adding 464,900 jobs. Professional and business services posted the largest gains on a numerical basis, adding 124,700 jobs (up 5.0 percent). Construction posted the largest gains on a percentage basis, up 8.6 percent (adding 59,300 jobs).
Two categories, mining and logging and manufacturing, posted job declines over the year, down 5,500 jobs. Mining and logging posted the largest decreases on both a numerical and percentage basis, down 3,000 jobs (a 9.6 percent decrease).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CLAIMS (NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED)
In related data, the EDD reported that there were 393,350 people receiving regular Unemployment Insurance benefits during the December survey week. This compares with 355,913 in November and 436,034 in December of last year. At the same time, new claims for Unemployment Insurance were 53,248 in December, compared with 54,438 in November and 47,858 in December of last year.
Source: EDD
