Orange County’s job losses continued in September as employers shed 29,600 workers, a 2% decline from a year earlier, according to the state’s Employment Development Department.
The county’s unemployment rate was 5.7% last month, down from a revised 5.9% for August.
The slightly better showing was spurred by the return of educators after the summer break.
Even so, the unemployment rate remains at levels not seen in a decade.
A year ago, the county’s unemployment rate was 4.2%.
Financial, professional and business services again drove the yearly decline.
Finance jobs, including insurance, were down by 10,700 in September from a year earlier.
Professional and business services declined by 9,000 jobs, led by administrative and support services, which includes jobs at employment agencies.
Government jobs grew by 4,100 from a year earlier.
The county actually added jobs in September from August, thanks to the return of educators to their jobs after summer.
Total nonfarm employment rose by 2,300 to 1.48 million jobs from August to September.
Government, education and healthcare drove the gain.
Leisure and hospitality posted the largest monthly decrease with 2,400 lost jobs as hotels and other businesses pared down after the peak summer season.
Construction, which has slumped for more than a year, shed 800 jobs.
