EDD reports California's unemployment rate (seasonally adjusted) in June was unchanged at 4.2% as the labor force continued to dip. Total employment was down 45,300 from the revised May numbers, while total unemployment dropped by 12,400. Total labor force was down 57,000.

The US unemployment rate notched up 0.1 point to 3.7%.  Employment was up 247,000, unemployment up 87,000, and the labor force grew by 335,000.

Nonfarm wage and salary jobs rose 46,200 (seasonally adjusted) in June, while jobs nationally grew by 224,000. May's gains were revised to 21,600 from the previously reported 46,000. Biggest gains were in Construction (11,900; $69.5k), Healthcare & Social Assistance (5,400; $51.5k), and Accommodation & Food Services (5,400; $24.7k). Losses were in 4 industries, with Retail Trade (-1,400; $36.3k), Arts, Entertainment & Recreation (-700; $59.0k), and Real Estate, Rentals & Leasing ($68.6k) and Mining & Logging ($118.4k) both showing a loss of -200. All salary numbers are the latest 4-quarter average from Quarterly Census of Employment & Wages.

While jobs growth continues to slow in the state, employment has slowed more strongly as the labor force continues to contract.  California employment rose only 58,600 over the year ending June 2018 (seasonally adjusted), putting it at the 9th highest gain amongst the states.  On a population-adjusted basis, California’s growth rate over the year was only 0.3%, placing it as 39th highest.

The number of counties with an unemployment rate at 10% or above stayed at 2:  Imperial and Colusa. The number with unemployment rates at or below 5% dropped to 37, with 8 counties at 3% or below.  San Mateo had the lowest rate at 2.3%, while Imperial had the highest at 18.6%.