Unemployment drops slightly during March

Richland Parish’s unemployment rate fell .4 percent in March according to the figures released last week by the Louisiana Works Commission.

The jobless rate in Richland Parish fell to 5.7 percent in March, down from 6.1 percent in February and 7.4 percent a year ago. This means 458 people were looking for work in the parish in March, compared to 484 in February and 620 in March 2020. Currently, 7,518 people are working in Richland Parish, up from 7,407 in February, but down from 7,781 a year ago.

Cameron Parish had the state’s lowest unemployment rate with 4 percent. East Carroll Parish had the highest rate at 11.3 percent.

Statewide, for the second month in a row, the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell over the month in all nine of Louisiana’s Metropolitan Statistical Areas. Louisiana’s March 2021 not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell by 0.5 percentage points to 6.6 percent from the February 2021 rate of 7.1 percent. This is the lowest not seasonally adjusted rate since the March 2020 pre-pandemic rate of 5.3 percent. The 0.5 percentage points decline is the largest monthly decline for March since 1989.

Since February 2021, the number of not seasonally adjusted employed individuals increased by 27,013 from 1,896,807 to 1,923,820 in March 2021. When compared to March 2020, the number of not seasonally adjusted employed individuals decreased by 108,719.

Since February 2021, the number of not seasonally adjusted unemployed individuals decreased by 8,883 from 144,228 to 135,345 in March 2021. When compared to March 2020, the number of not seasonally adjusted unemployed individuals increased by 21,412.

Not seasonally adjusted March 2021 unemployment rates for Louisiana’s nine MSAs are as follows:

• Alexandria: 4.4 percent, down from 4.8 percent in February and down from 5.4 percent in March 2020.

• Baton Rouge: 5.8 percent, down from 6.2 percent in February, but up from 4.9 percent in March 2020.

• Hammond: 7.4 percent, down from 8.0 percent in February, but up from 5.9 percent in March 2020.

• Houma: 5.7 percent, down from 6.2 percent in February, but up from 5.0 percent in March 2020.

• Lafayette: 6.0 percent, down from 6.5 percent in February, but up from 5.2 percent in March 2020.

• Lake Charles: 6.8 percent, down from 7.3 percent in February, but up from 4.9 percent in March 2020.

• Monroe: 5.8 percent, down from 6.2 percent in February and down from 5.9 percent in March 2020.

• New Orleans: 8.0 percent, down from 8.6 percent in February, but up from 4.9 percent in March 2020.

• Shreveport: 6.3 percent, down from 6.8 percent in February, but up from 5.5 percent in March 2020.

Since February 2021, not seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment increased by 7,100 jobs from 1,826,700 to 1,833,800 in March 2021. When compared to March 2020, not seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment decreased by 134,700 jobs.

Since February 2021, not seasonally adjusted private sector employment increased by 7,100 jobs from 1,510,900 to 1,518,000 in March 2021. When compared to March 2020, not seasonally adjusted private sector employment decreased by 116,800 jobs.

Industries that showed the largest gains for not seasonally adjusted jobs for March 2021:

• Leisure and Hospitality gained 4,900 jobs from February 2021.

• Manufacturing added 1,300 jobs from February 2021.

• Mining and Logging added 1,100 jobs from February 2021.

• Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 700 jobs from February 2021.