County Unemployment Rises Even as Employers Add Jobs

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Los Angeles County’s unemployment rate inched up in May to a seasonally adjusted 5.8 percent, even as employers added more workers to their payrolls, the California Employment Development Department reported Friday.


The unemployment rate was up a tenth of a point from 5.7 percent in April, as the region’s construction sector boomed and the tourism and hospitality industry continued to rebound. That figure was well below the 6.8 percent level of a year ago,


The county’s economy added 6,300 jobs in May, with non-farm employment reaching 4.03 million, up 0.2 percent from April and up 0.6 percent from May 2004.


The largest month-over-month growth was seen in leisure and hospitality, which added 3,200 jobs to a total of 383,500, up 0.8 percent over April and 2.3 percent higher than a year ago.


Construction added 2,100 jobs in May to a total of 144,800, up 1.5 percent over the previous month and 4.2 percent over May 2004.


Seasonal hiring patterns accounted for growth in industries that beef up employment to meet a surge in summer business.


The sharpest job losses in May were seen in government employment, which dropped to 588,300, down 0.2 percent from April and 1.5 percent from one year ago.

Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 5.3 percent in May, from 5.4 percent in April and 6.3 percent a year ago.

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