Jobless rate rises sharply during shut-down

Unemployment rose sharply in Richland Parish in April according to figures released this week by the Louisiana Works commission.

The jobless rate for Richland Parish rose from 8.9 percent in in March to 10.7 percent in April. It is also up from 5.1 percent in April 2019.

That translates into 775 people being out of work in Richland Parish last month as opposed to 754 in March and 418 a year ago.

The Richland Parish workforce was down to 6,465 people in April from 7,683 people in March and down from 7,727 a year ago.

Jackson and LaSalle parishes had the lowest unemployment rate in the state at 7.2 percent in April. Orleans Parish had the highest rate at 22.1

 

Preliminary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for April 2020 shows that Louisiana’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 14.5 percent for April 2020. Louisiana’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased 8.2 percentage points from March 2020’s revised not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 6.3 percent.

Louisiana’s not seasonally adjusted civilian labor force, or the number of people who are employed in addition to those seeking work, decreased by 200,753 from 2,129,078 in March 2020 to 1,928,325 in April 2020.

The number of not seasonally adjusted employed individuals decreased by 345,871 from 1,993,963 in March 2020 to 1,648,092 in April 2020. The number of not seasonally adjusted unemployed individuals increased by 145,118 from 135,115 in March 2020 to 280,233 in April 2020.

Louisiana’s not seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment decreased by 232,000 jobs from 1,959,600 in March 2020 to 1,727,600 in April 2020. Louisiana’s not seasonally adjusted private sector employment decreased by 223,400 jobs from 1,624,400 in March 2020 to 1,401,000 in April 2020.

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

• Alexandria: 9.9 percent, up from 4.0 percent in April 2019 and up from 6.6 percent from March.

• Baton Rouge: 13.0 percent, up from 3.4 percent in April 2019 and up from 5.6 percent from March.

• Hammond: 17.1 percent, up from 4.3 percent in April 2019 and up from 7.1 percent from March.

• Houma: 12.3 percent, up from 3.6 percent in April 2019 and up from 6.0 percent from March.

• Lafayette: 13.1 percent, up from 3.7 percent from April 2019 and up from 6.4 percent from March.

• Lake Charles: 14.5 percent, up from 3.1 percent in April 2019 and up from 6.0 percent from March.

• Monroe: 11.6 percent, up from 4.3 percent in April 2019 and up from 7.2 percent from March.

• New Orleans: 18.8 percent, up from 3.5 percent in April 2019 and up from 5.9 percent from March.

• Shreveport: 13.0 percent, up from 4.1 percent in April 2019 and up from 6.7 percent from March.

Richland Today

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Rayville, LA 71269
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