The Los Angeles County jobless rate hit 5 percent in March, the highest number in 12 months and a sizeable increase from the 4.6 percent rate of February. It’s also above the statewide unemployment rate of 4.8 percent. Nationally, the rate stood at 4.4 percent during March, the most recent month for which data is available from the state Employment Development Department. Overall, L.A. county’s labor force was 4.9 million for the month. The Ventura County jobless rate stood at 4.2 percent.
