San Benito County’s unemployment rate increased month over month as expected, but continues showing gradual improvement when compared with prior year statistics.
The county’s jobless rate was 12.6 percent in January, the latest period reported. A year ago in January, the rate was 15.4 percent, according to the California Employment Development Department.
The numbers are not seasonally adjusted, so the local jobless rate is expected to increase during winter months. More telling when it comes to long-term economic health is the yearly comparison.
The January statistics represent 3,400 residents filing for unemployment in a workforce of 27,300.
Statewide, the jobless rate dropped from 8.3 percent in December to 8.1 percent in January. In January 2013, the statewide jobless rate was 9.8 percent.
The federal labor department also reported a slight uptick from a 6.6 percent jobless rate in January to 6.7 percent in February. Economists believe both months’ data might be skewed by bad weather.
Look back for more soon on the state of employment health in the county.
