The Employment Development Department reported that the job gains in August contrasted sharply with a fairly weak showing of 18,600 the month before.
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California employers quieted any lingering doubts about the state’s economy in August, as an uptick in hiring helped absorb hoards of new job-seekers last month.
California added more than 60,000 jobs in August – a strong showing particularly when compared to the rest of the nation.
The labor force also decreased.3 percent in August. The year-over rate is down 0.3 percentage points from the August 2015 rate (5.3 percent). The unemployment rate is derived from a federal survey of 5,500 California households.
Heavy job losses in construction and manufacturing led to the dropping job numbers.
The only job-losing sector for the year was local government, down 1,000, to 14,600.
Payroll employment (wage and salary jobs) in the nonfarm industries of California totaled 16,534,300 in August, a gain of 63,100 jobs since July. That puts its job growth rate at 1.4 percent for the year, below the 1.7 percent growth nationwide.
Three sectors added more than 60,000 jobs each.
Percentage wise the decrease is very small, far less than 1 percent.
Along with fewer jobs, more workers left the workforce entirely.
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The following industries lost jobs in August: construction (down 1,900), other services (down 1,100), manufacturing (down 1,000), financial activities (down 700), leisure and hospitality (down 700), and professional and business services (down 200).
