County’s Jobless Rate Stalls at Same Level for Two Consecutive Months

RIVERSIDE (CNS) – A mix of losses and gains throughout the regional economy held Riverside County’s unemployment rate at the same level last month, according to figures released Friday by the California Employment Development Department.

The countywide jobless rate in March, based on preliminary EDD estimates, was 4.6%, the same as February.

According to figures, the March rate was four-tenths of a percentage point higher than the year-ago level, when countywide unemployment stood at 4.2%.

An estimated 53,000 county residents were recorded as out of work in March, and 1,106,000 were employed, according to EDD.

Mecca had the highest unemployment rate countywide last month at 11.2%, followed by Cherry Valley at 8.3%, Coachella at 8.1%, Hemet at 6.6%, and Rancho Mirage at 6.5%.

The combined unemployment rate for Riverside and San Bernardino counties — the Inland Empire — in March was 4.5%, unchanged from February, according to figures.

Bi-county data indicated payrolls expanded by the widest margin in the public sector, which added 2,300 positions.

The agricultural and health services sectors also grew, by an aggregate 1,500 jobs, and miscellaneous unclassified industries added another 100 positions.

The construction sector posted the largest month-to-month decline, shedding 2,100 jobs, while the hospitality, professional business services and retail trade sectors altogether shrank by 2,500 jobs.

The financial services, information technology, manufacturing and mining sectors were unchanged.

Data indicated that the statewide non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in March was 4.8%.

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