Web Version [link removed] | Update Preferences [link removed] [link removed] California Employment Report for
December 2019
The Center for Jobs and the Economy has released our initial analysis of the December Employment Report released by the California Employment Development Department. For additional information and data about the California economy visit www.centerforjobs.org [[link removed]]
This month begins the annual data revision process, with revisions to the US labor force seasonally adjusted data for 2015-2019. This process will continue over the next two months, with the final state and county labor force and wage and salary job numbers released in March along with our updates to the legislative district estimates using that data and the 2018 American Community Survey results. Comparisons between the different geographic levels consequently should take these different revision schedules into account.
CA Unemployment Rate Level 3.9% CA Unemployment Rate
EDD reports California's unemployment rate (seasonally adjusted) in December held at the record low of 3.9% as the labor force continued to show modest gains.
Total employment was up 56,300 from the revised November numbers, while total unemployment dropped by 4,000. Total labor force was up 52,300.
The labor force numbers continued to show little change over the year. Total labor force was up 36,900 0.2%) for the 12 months ending in December, while total employment was up by 81,800 (0.4%).
US Unemployment Rate 3.5% US Unemployment Rate
The revised national numbers show US unemployment rate unchanged at 3.5%, matching the previous two months as the lowest since 1969. Nationally, the labor force grew by 209,000. Employment was up 267,000 and unemployment down 58,000.
Total US labor force grew by 1,445,000 (0.9%) over the year, while employment grew by 1,978,000 (1.2%).
Overall, revisions to the national numbers show only minor changes, but with more substantial effects in the last quarter for the prior two years. As a result, both labor force and employment growth for the 12 months ending November 2019 were revised up by about 6% each.
Unemployment by Ethnicity/Race
Unemployment rates by ethnicity/race were unchanged across all groups. The data source for these rates differs from the reported numbers, with EDD estimating the demographic rates as a 12-month moving average from the core Current Population Survey data. Labor force participation rates increased by 0.3% for African-Americans while holding steady for Latinos and Whites.
Nonfarm Jobs Up 12.6k Job Gains
Nonfarm wage and salary jobs rose 12,600 (seasonally adjusted) in December, while jobs nationally grew by 266,000. November's gains were revised to 24,000 from the previously reported 32,000. Biggest gains were in Other Services (4,200; $40.7k), Government (3,400; $70.1k), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (3,300; $122.5k) and Administrative & Support & Waste Services (3,300; $45.4k). Losses were in 6 industries, led by Information (-3,900; $188.3k), Accommodation & Food Services (-2,400; $25.0k); and Real Estate & Rental & Leasing (-1,100; $68.9k). All salary numbers are the latest 4-quarter average from Quarterly Census of Employment & Wages.
Counties with Double-Digit Unemployment 2 Counties With Unemployment
Above 10%
Two counties, Imperial and Colusa, had an unemployment rate at 10% or above. The number with unemployment rates at or below 5% dipped to 38, with 14 counties at 3% or below. San Mateo had the lowest rate at 1.8%, while Imperial had the highest at 19.4%.
California Center for Jobs [[link removed]] The California Center for Jobs and the Economy provides an objective and definitive source of information pertaining to job creation and economic trends in California. [[link removed]] Contact 1301 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814 916.553.4093 If you no longer wish to receive these emails, select here to unsubscribe. [link removed]
