Seasonal hiring in the retail sector largely accounted for the 1,600 jobs the county added in November from October, but that growth wasn’t enough to push the unemployment rate down as more job seekers entered the market.
Employment rose less than 1% to 1.37 million nonfarm workers in November, according to the state Employment Development Department.
That slim gain, along with more people looking for work, boosted the unemployment rate in Orange County to 9.3% in November, up from a revised 9.1% in October and below the 9.6% of a year ago.
Retail added 2,100 jobs from October as department stores and other outlets readied for the holiday shopping season.
Those gains outpaced losses in wholesale trade, down 700 jobs, and transportation, warehousing and utilities, down 200 jobs.
Local government, educational and health services also saw monthly job gains. Educational services added 800 jobs, while healthcare and social assistance added 400 jobs.
The gains were overshadowed by losses in several key industries here.
Leisure and hospitality and professional and business services each logged 700 job losses, while financial activities lost 400 jobs. Other services were down 300 positions and construction lost 200 jobs.
On a yearly basis, the county continued gaining jobs at small clip.
Employers here in November added 19,100 jobs from a year earlier, a 1.4% gain. That marked the fifth month of consecutive yearly gains.
Professional and business services posted the largest yearly growth, adding 10,100 jobs. Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services accounted for about 70% of that gain, while professional, scientific and technical services accounted for the rest.
Leisure and hospitality had the second largest yearly gain, adding 8,400 jobs. Hotels, restaurants and bars led those gains adding 5,300 jobs, a continuing sign consumers are spending more discretionary income.
Arts, entertainment, and recreation added 3,100 jobs.
Construction reported the largest decline of 4,900 jobs. The specialty trade segment was down 2,600 jobs, while builders shed 2,200 jobs.
Heavy and civil engineering construction saw marginal cutbacks and lost 100 jobs.
