Louisiana’s Labor Force, Employment Continue Over-the-Year Increase

Louisiana’s seasonally adjusted civilian labor force in September increased 42,705 over the year and 10,462 from August, according to the Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC).

The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) surveys a sample of households to estimate the civilian labor force data, which is used to compute the unemployment rate. Louisiana’s civilian labor force — the number of people working or looking for work — for September 2010 was 2,109,422, which represents an over-the-year increase of 30,408 employed and 12,297 unemployed.

There were 1,945,612 employed in September, for an increase of 5,431 over the month, and 163,810 unemployed, for an increase of 5,031 from August.

The changes in civilian labor force data resulted in an increase in Louisiana’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate to 7.8 percent in September from the revised August rate of 7.6 percent. The September rate was tied for 18th lowest in the nation and the fifth lowest in the Southern region. The Southern region rate for September was 9.2 percent. The September 2010 seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the United States was 9.6 percent, unchanged from August.

Louisiana’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment in September, estimated from a separate survey of employers, grew by 15,700 jobs over the year, driven by an 11,500 gain in private education and health services. Seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment was down by 2,800 jobs over the month to 1,902,500.

The nonfarm survey for September showed that four of 11 industry sectors recorded job increases over the month. The largest monthly job gain occurred in:

• Trade, transportation, and utilities, 369,600, up 1,200 workers;
• Manufacturing, 136,700, added 1,100;
• Information at 24,400; and
• Leisure and hospitality at 197,100 each added 200 workers.

Mining and logging, with 50,400 workers remained the same.

Sectors with declines for the month were:

• Construction, 127,100, down 2,000;
• Government 365,800 lost 1,500 workers mostly at the federal level;
• Professional and business services, 196,700 and financial activities with 88,300 workers each lost 600 jobs;
• Education and health services 278,400, down 700; and
• Other services 68,000 lost 100 payroll workers over August.

Source: Louisiana Workforce Commission

Topics Louisiana