La. adds 3,000 jobs
Jobless ranks also increase in December
Print
Email
Save
Reprints
Twitter
Share
Del.icio.us
Digg
Facebook
Reddit
Louisiana added 3,000 jobs in December — the only state to post a monthly gain — while seeing its unemployment ranks grow at a faster rate.
On the whole, the latest job report from the Louisiana Workforce Commission paints a picture of a relatively healthy state work force at the end of a rocky economic year for the nation, said Loren Scott, the longtime LSU and consulting economist. The state had 8,500 more jobs at the end of 2008 than at the end of 2007.
“I think the major story is that whereas the U.S. lost jobs all 12 months for 2008, we gained jobs for all months of 2008, with the exception of September — which was the (hurricanes) Ike and Gustav month,” Scott said.
On the month, Baton Rouge gained 700 jobs and is up 4,000 jobs on the year, to nearly 380,000; Lafayette picked up 400 jobs and is up 2,400 jobs for the year, to 154,000; and New Orleans employment rose 400 for the month and 6,600 for the year, to 532,000.
State labor force figures for December do show a rise in unemployment from 108,000 in November to 121,000 in December, but the survey underpinning those unemployment numbers is less reliable than a business-based survey that shows Louisiana’s nonfarm employment rising from 1.955 million to 1.958 million, Scott said.
Unemployment numbers, he said, are based on a household survey that reaches far fewer people — 750 households — versus the nonfarm employment survey that reaches 2,757 Louisiana businesses, plus another 2,500 employers who send in data directly to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics and the state commission.
Adjusting the state’s labor market to remove the effect of seasonal hiring trends, the Louisiana Workforce Commission reported a monthly 3,700-job gain with an estimated 1.949 million jobs. The growth in the number of people looking for jobs plus those employed raised the civilian labor force from 2.05 million to 2.06 million, a gain of 10,000.
“The increase in jobs and the growth in our work force are positive signs and continue to indicate that we have job opportunities for the people of Louisiana, despite the worsening recession nationally,” the commission’s executive director, Tim Barfield, said in a statement. “Still, the condition of the national economy is a reason for great concern in our state and we’re watching our unemployment rate and all industry sectors closely for the effects of a recession.”
Nonfarm employment of 1.958 million established a new monthly high for the state in December, said Patty Granier, who manages the commission’s labor market information. On the year, construction (up 5,100 jobs) and health care and social assistance (up 4,700) posted the biggest statewide jobs gains, while manufacturing (down 5,700 jobs) showed the biggest decline.
Baton Rouge showed a 2,800-job yearly increase in private sector service-providing jobs, accounting for most of the metro area’s growth. Baton Rouge construction jobs grew by 1,000 on the year to 42,200 but were off 400 from November.
Here’s how the state’s other five metro areas fared in December:
On the whole, the latest job report from the Louisiana Workforce Commission paints a picture of a relatively healthy state work force at the end of a rocky economic year for the nation, said Loren Scott, the longtime LSU and consulting economist. The state had 8,500 more jobs at the end of 2008 than at the end of 2007.
“I think the major story is that whereas the U.S. lost jobs all 12 months for 2008, we gained jobs for all months of 2008, with the exception of September — which was the (hurricanes) Ike and Gustav month,” Scott said.
On the month, Baton Rouge gained 700 jobs and is up 4,000 jobs on the year, to nearly 380,000; Lafayette picked up 400 jobs and is up 2,400 jobs for the year, to 154,000; and New Orleans employment rose 400 for the month and 6,600 for the year, to 532,000.
State labor force figures for December do show a rise in unemployment from 108,000 in November to 121,000 in December, but the survey underpinning those unemployment numbers is less reliable than a business-based survey that shows Louisiana’s nonfarm employment rising from 1.955 million to 1.958 million, Scott said.
Unemployment numbers, he said, are based on a household survey that reaches far fewer people — 750 households — versus the nonfarm employment survey that reaches 2,757 Louisiana businesses, plus another 2,500 employers who send in data directly to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics and the state commission.
Adjusting the state’s labor market to remove the effect of seasonal hiring trends, the Louisiana Workforce Commission reported a monthly 3,700-job gain with an estimated 1.949 million jobs. The growth in the number of people looking for jobs plus those employed raised the civilian labor force from 2.05 million to 2.06 million, a gain of 10,000.
“The increase in jobs and the growth in our work force are positive signs and continue to indicate that we have job opportunities for the people of Louisiana, despite the worsening recession nationally,” the commission’s executive director, Tim Barfield, said in a statement. “Still, the condition of the national economy is a reason for great concern in our state and we’re watching our unemployment rate and all industry sectors closely for the effects of a recession.”
Nonfarm employment of 1.958 million established a new monthly high for the state in December, said Patty Granier, who manages the commission’s labor market information. On the year, construction (up 5,100 jobs) and health care and social assistance (up 4,700) posted the biggest statewide jobs gains, while manufacturing (down 5,700 jobs) showed the biggest decline.
Baton Rouge showed a 2,800-job yearly increase in private sector service-providing jobs, accounting for most of the metro area’s growth. Baton Rouge construction jobs grew by 1,000 on the year to 42,200 but were off 400 from November.
Here’s how the state’s other five metro areas fared in December:
- Shreveport, down 500 jobs for the month and up 200 jobs on the year.
- Lake Charles, up 100 jobs for the month and the year.
- Alexandria, unchanged for the month and up 300 for the year.
- Houma, up 200 for the month and down 300 on the year.
- Monroe, unchanged for the month and up 300 for the year.
 | ||||
| Most Popular | Most Emailed | Hot Topics | ||
