Unemployment Dips In State, Mother Lode Rate Mixed

Sonora, CA — California’s unemployment rate dipped to 5.4 percent in March from 5.5 percent in February….a year ago it was 6.6 percent.

The state’s monthly jobless rate figures were released by the state Employment Development Department on Friday. Tuolumne County followed that downward trend lowering from 7 percent in February to 6.9 percent in March.  In Calaveras County, the rate increased slightly from 6.1 percent in February to 6.2 percent last month.

Nonfarm payroll jobs hit 16.3 million in March, a jump of 4,200. Trade, transportation and utilities had the sharpest increase, adding 11,100 new jobs. Construction had the biggest loss of jobs, losing 7,400.  San Mateo County had the lowest unemployment for a second month in a row with a rate of 3 percent. On the flip side, for a second straight month, Colusa County had the highest unemployment rate at 20.6 percent, which is actually down a percentage point from February.

The U.S. jobless rate did not follow the state’s lead showing a slight change from 4.9 percent in February to 5 percent in March.