Orange County’s unadjusted unemployment rate remained 2.5% in November from a revised 2.5% in October and below the year-ago estimate of 2.7%, according to the state Employment Development Department.
California’s unemployment rate was 3.7% and the U.S.’s was 3.3%. The most recent numbers for the county, state and U.S. aren’t seasonally adjusted. OC’s lowest-ever unemployment rate was 2.2% in December 1999.
OC nonfarm employment increased by 2,500 jobs to 1.68 million. Only three of its 11 sectors reported increases in November while one was the same and seven declined.
The biggest increase was 6,800 in the trade, transportation and utilities sectors, led by 6,200 jobs in the retail sector. Government increased 2,200 jobs, caused by a 2,000 increase in local education. Financial activities added 1,200, mostly because of a 1,400 increase in finance and insurance while real estate and rental and leasing fell by 200.
The biggest decline was 3,900 in construction, led by a 2,700 drop in specialty trade contractors. Another significant decline was 2,700 in professional and business services, The five other sectors declined 400 jobs or fewer.
About 17.6 million people worked in California outside of agriculture in November, up about 28,400 from October and an increase of 321,800 from a year earlier.
Statewide, eight of 11 industry sectors added jobs month-over-month, led by education and health services, 15,000. The category of trade, transportation and utilities fell the most, 2,300.
People receiving unemployment benefits rose to 293,595 in November from 260,709 in October. The November number last year was 261,022.
