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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024
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County Unemployment Falls on Government Hiring

Los Angeles County’s unemployment rate fell to 7.6 percent in March as the county added 28,400 jobs, according to state figures released Friday. The unemployment rate is down from 7.8 percent in February, and from 8.6 percent in March 2014. Still, the county’s unemployment rate remains higher than the statewide rate of 6.5 percent, and way above the national rate of 5.5 percent. Leading the way with last month’s job gains were the government sector, which added 9,300 jobs, and the health care and education services sector, which added 5,600. The professional and business services sector reported adding 1,800 jobs while the construction sector added 1,300. The only sector to post job losses in March was financial services, which saw employment fall by 200 jobs. Among large cities in the greater Valley region, Palmdale had the highest unemployment in March at 9.7 percent, down from 10.3 in February. Antelope Valley neighbor Lancaster came in at 8.1 percent, down from 8.6. In the east Valley, Glendale reported 7.0 percent for March compared to 7.4 percent the previous month, and Burbank had 5.9 percent, down from 6.3 percent. Santa Clarita reported 6.6 percent, down from 7.0. Los Angeles, the largest city in the region, had 7.7 percent in March compared to 8.1 percent in February. Statewide, the unemployment rate fell to 6.5 percent from 6.7 percent in February and from 7.9 percent in March 2014. The national rate remained unchanged month to month at 5.5 percent.

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