State’s Jobless Rate Drops

Sonora, CA — California’s unemployment rate continues its downward trend since the beginning of the year, while the Mother Lode’s rate also dipped.

The state’s rate sunk to 5.2 percent in May, a decline from 5.3 percent in April and 6.4 percent in May 2015.

The figures come from the California Employment Development Department, which show nonfarm payroll jobs increased by 15,200 in May to a total of over 2 million jobs since the recovery began in February of 2010.

In Tuolumne County, the jobless rate slid down from 6.3 percent in April to 5.6 percent last month. Calaveras County’s rate decreased for a second straight month from 5.8 percent in April to 5.3 percent in May.

Six categories added jobs, including information, financial activities and business services, the latter with the biggest boost with 12,800 jobs. Manufacturing posted the largest loss with a drop of 5,000 jobs. For the fourth straight month in a row San Mateo County had the lowest unemployment rate, down from 2.9 percent in April to 2.6 percent last month. Imperial County had the highest at 19.4 percent but a little silver lining; it is down from 20.1 percent in April.

The national rate in May inched down from 5 to 4.7 percent.