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California unemployment continues record low 3.9 percent in January

Employers add 21,400 nonfarm jobs as record job expansion continues

NOTE TO EDITORS: This release incorporates revised historical labor force numbers and industry employment data. Each year our labor force and employment data are updated to reflect additional data inputs and estimation techniques. These benchmarked data are produced in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, based on the same methodology used by all states.

SACRAMENTO – California’s unemployment rate remained at its record low of 3.9 percent in January as the state’s employers added 21,400 nonfarm payroll jobs, according to data released today by the California Employment Development Department (EDD) from two surveys. The job gains in January contribute to a record job expansion in California of 119 months, surpassing the long expansion of the 1960s. California has gained 3,389,000 jobs since the current expansion began in February 2010, accounting for 15.0 percent of the nation’s 22,573,000 job gain over the same timeframe.







California’s Labor Market, by the Numbers...

The state’s unemployment remained at 3.9 percent 1 in January, maintaining a record low in a data series going back to the 1970s. The number of unemployed Californians is the lowest since 1989, despite large gains in statewide population since.

in January, maintaining a record low in a data series going back to the 1970s. The number of unemployed Californians is the lowest since 1989, despite large gains in statewide population since. California’s unemployment rate has remained unchanged since August 2019 and is 0.4 percent below that of January 2019.

January’s 21,400 nonfarm payroll jobs 2 gain was driven by growth in six of California’s 11 industry sectors. Educational and Health Services (7,900) posted the largest jobs gain, fueled mostly by Individual and Family Services. Leisure and Hospitality (7,800) also did well with strong job gains in the Art, Entertainment, and Recreation sector.

gain was driven by growth in six of California’s 11 industry sectors. Educational and Health Services (7,900) posted the largest jobs gain, fueled mostly by Individual and Family Services. Leisure and Hospitality (7,800) also did well with strong job gains in the Art, Entertainment, and Recreation sector. The federal survey data used to develop the January 2020 California labor market statistics precedes, and therefore doesn’t reflect, any economic impacts being experienced now due to the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in California.

1. The unemployment rate comes from a federal survey of 5,100 California households.

2. The nonfarm payroll job numbers come from a separate federal survey of 80,000 California businesses.

Data Trends about Jobs in the Economy

Total Nonfarm Payroll Jobs (Comes from a monthly survey of approximately 80,000 California businesses that estimates jobs in the economy – seasonally adjusted)

Month-over – Total nonfarm jobs in California’s 11 major industries totaled 17,575,800 in January – a net gain of 21,400 jobs from December. This followed a revised gain of 26,300 jobs in December.

– Total nonfarm jobs in California’s 11 major industries totaled 17,575,800 in January – a net gain of 21,400 jobs from December. This followed a revised gain of 26,300 jobs in December. Year-over – Total nonfarm jobs increased by 251,800 jobs (a 1.5 percent increase) from January 2019 to January 2020 compared to the U.S. annual gain of 2,137,000 jobs (a 1.4 percent increase).

Total Farm jobs – The number of jobs in the agriculture industry increased by 700 jobs from December to 430,800. The agricultural industry has added 10,200 farm jobs since January 2019.

Data Trends about Workers in the Economy

Employment and Unemployment in California (Based on monthly federal survey of 5,100 California households which focuses on workers in the economy)

Employed – The number of Californians holding jobs in January was 18,756,600, an increase of 27,500 from December and up 205,600 from the employment total in January of last year.

– The number of Californians holding jobs in January was 18,756,600, an increase of 27,500 from December and up 205,600 from the employment total in January of last year. Unemployed – The number of unemployed Californians was 735,300 in January, a decrease of 1,400 over the month and down by 78,600 compared with January of last year.

Unemployment Insurance Claims (not seasonally adjusted) In related data that figures into the state’s unemployment rate, there were 339,026 people receiving Unemployment Insurance benefits during the survey week in January compared to 327,751 in December and 376,402 people in January 2019. Concurrently, 45,742 people filed new claims in January which was a month-over decrease of 4,374 people.