California gains jobs in October

The state added 39,000 jobs to payrolls in diverse sectors. Unemployment is still high in many counties.

By Alana Semuels, Los Angeles Times

November 19, 2010|9:21 a.m.

California's struggling economy gained jobs in October after months of job loss, keeping the unemployment rate steady at 12.4%, the Employment Development Department said Friday morning.

The state added 39,000 jobs to payrolls in October, after losing 53,600 in September. Gains were spread across sectors as diverse as government and leisure and hospitality. Professional and business services and financial activities lost jobs in October.

The state has lost 27,400 jobs over the year. Economists say the state may be near the bottom of its economic slump.

The news comes a day after Congress voted not to extend jobless benefits for out-of-work Americans. Benefits for about 2 million people expire Nov. 30.

The Employment Development Department said 592,745 Californians were receiving unemployment benefits in October.

Unemployment was still high in many counties throughout the state, according to seasonally unadjusted data released Friday morning. About 29.3% of people in Imperial County were out of work in October, and 15.7% of people in Fresno County were unemployed.

In Los Angeles County, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged from September, at 12.6%. Employers in the county added jobs in the government, education and health services and trade, transportation and utilities sectors.

alana.semuels@latimes.com

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