Orange County’s unemployment rate fell to 3.6% in July from a revised 3.7% in June and above the 3.2% rate seen in July last year, according to the state’s Employment Development Department.
The state’s unemployment rate was 4.8% in July while the U.S.’s was 3.8%.
Nonfarm OC employment fell by 9,000 jobs from June to July when 1.71 million were employed.
The county has surpassed the February 2020 pre-pandemic employment level of 1.68 million jobs.
The government sector reported the largest monthly decline, 13,600, led by local government, down 12,400 due to the summer recess. Construction, 700 jobs, private education and health services, 300, and manufacturing, 100, were also down.
Six of the 11 industry sectors saw job increases.
Leading the job increase was the leisure and hospitality sector, which added 2,400, led by accommodation and food services.
About 18.1 million worked in California in July, an increase of 27,900 nonfarm payroll jobs from June and up about 363,600 jobs from a year earlier.
Seven of the 11 industry sectors added jobs month-over-month, led by government, 15,000.
Professional and business services was the biggest decliner, off 11,400.
People receiving unemployment benefits rose by 16,904 to 401,745.
