Tensas Parish jobless rate increases to 12.1%

Unemployment rose sharply in Tensas Parish in March according to figures release this week by the Louisiana Works commission.

The jobless rate for Tensas Parish rose from 8.8 percent in in February to 12.1 percent in March. It is also up from 6.3 percent in March 2019.

That translates into 175 people being out of work in Tensas Parish last month as opposed to 120 in February and 86 a year ago.

The Tensas Parish workforce was up to 1,266 people in March, up from 1,241 people in February and down from 1,287 a year ago.

Livingston and Cameron parishes had the state’s lowest unemployment in March with 5 percent. West Carroll Parish had the highest unemployment with 15.4 percent.

Louisiana’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased 2.0 percentage points from 4.1 percent in March 2019 to 6.1 percent in March 2020. From February 2020, Louisiana’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased by 1.8 percentage points.

Louisiana’s not seasonally adjusted civilian labor force, or the number of people who are employed in addition to those looking for work, increased by 55,320 from 2,082,795 in March 2019 to 2,138,115 in March 2020. 

From February 2020, Louisiana’s not seasonally adjusted civilian labor force increased by a total of 41,537.

The number of not seasonally adjusted employed individuals increased by 11,283 from 1,997,167 in March 2019 to 2,008,450 in March 2020. From February 2020, the number of not seasonally adjusted employed individuals increased by 1,587.

Not seasonally adjusted March 2020 unemployment rates for Louisiana’s nine MSAs are as follows:

• Alexandria: 6.3 percent, up from 4.4 percent in March 2019 and up from 4.5 percent from February.

• Baton Rouge: 5.4 percent, up from 3.6 percent in March 2019 and up from 3.8 percent from February.

• Hammond: 6.8 percent, up from 4.7 percent in March 2019 and up from 4.7 percent from February.

• Houma: 5.7 percent, up from 4.0 percent in March 2019 and up from 3.9 percent from February.

• Lafayette: 6.1 percent, up from 4.1 from March 2019 and up from 4.3 percent from February.

• Lake Charles: 5.6 percent, up from 3.4 percent in March 2019 and up from 4.0 percent from February.

• Monroe: 6.9 percent, up from 4.7 percent in March 2019 and up from 5.0 percent from February.

• New Orleans: 5.6 percent, up from 3.8 percent in March 2019 and up from 3.9 percent from February.

• Shreveport: 6.4 percent, up from 4.4 percent in March 2019 and up from 4.6 percent from February.

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