Orange County’s unemployment rate fell to 3.9% in February from a revised 4.1% in January and unchanged from February last year, according to the state’s Employment Development Department.
The state’s unemployment rate of 5.5% was unchanged from January and up from 5.1% a year ago. The U.S.’s was 4.5%.
Nonfarm OC employment increased by 8,000 jobs from January to February when 1.68 million were employed.
Seven of the 11 industry sectors saw job increases.
Leading the job increase was private education and health services sector, up 3,400 jobs, mostly in health care and social assistance, up 2,100.
Trade, transportation and utilities fell the most, down 900 jobs, mostly because of a decline in retail trade.
About 18 million worked in California in February, a decrease of 7,500 nonfarm jobs from January and up about 78,200 jobs from a year earlier.
Only three of the 11 industry sectors added jobs month-over-month, led by private education and health services, up 18,400. The biggest decline was professional and business services, down 7,700 jobs.
People receiving unemployment benefits rose by 13,494 to 407,881.
