Local jobless rate falls

The Richland Parish unemployment rate fell almost 2 percent in March according to the latest figures from the Louisiana Works Commission.

Richland’s March unemployment rate was 5.4 percent, down from 6.1 in February and 6.3 in March 2018.

That translates into 442 people looking for work in the parish in March, down from 502 in February and 523 a year ago.

Currently there are 7,773 people employed in Richland Parish, up from 7,700 in February and 7,726 last March.

West Carroll had the highest unemployment in the state at 10.2 percent in March. Cameron Parish had the lowest rate at 2.9 percent.

Based on Bureau of Labor and Statistics information released for March 2019, Louisiana’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased 0.5 percentage points from February 2019 to 3.9 percent. 

This is the lowest not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate since February 2008. The over-the-month drop was tied for the seventh largest drop of not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates in the country. Compared to March 2018, the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased 0.7 percentage points. The over-the-year drop was tied for the sixth largest drop in the country.

The number of not seasonally adjusted unemployed individuals decreased by 11,409 from February 2019 to March 2019. From March 2018, the number of not seasonally adjusted unemployed individuals decreased by 16,402 to 80,506. This is the lowest number of not seasonally adjusted unemployed individuals since April 2008.

Not seasonally adjusted employed individuals increased by 14,432 from February 2019 to March 2019. From March 2018, the number of not seasonally adjusted employed individuals increased by 2,487 to 2,009,895.

The not seasonally adjusted civilian labor force, or the number of people who are employed in addition to those looking for work, increased by 3,023 to 2,090,401 from February 2019 to March 2019.

All nine not seasonally adjusted March 2019 metropolitan statistical areas unemployment rates for Louisiana decreased both over-the-month and over-the-year. 63 out of Louisiana’s 64 parishes saw an over-the-year decline in their not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates. This is the second consecutive month Louisiana’s nine MSAs have declined over-the-month. 

Not seasonally adjusted March 2019 unemployment rates for the nine MSAs are as follows:

• Alexandria: 4.2 percent, down from 4.8 percent in February and down from 5.1 percent from March 2018.

• Baton Rouge: 3.4 percent, down from 4.0 percent in February and down from 4.0 percent from March 2018.

• Hammond: 4.3 percent, down from 5.0 percent in February and down from 5.1 percent from March 2018.

• Houma: 3.8 percent, down from 4.4 percent in February and down from 4.7 percent from March 2018.

• Lafayette: 3.8 percent, down from 4.4 percent in February and down from 4.8 percent from March 2018.

• Lake Charles: 3.1 percent, down from 3.5 percent in February and down from 3.6 percent from March 2018.

• Monroe: 4.4 percent, down from 5.0 percent in February and down from 5.0 percent from March 2018.

• New Orleans: 3.6 percent, down from 4.1 percent in February and down from 4.3 percent from March 2018.

• Shreveport: 4.1 percent, down from 4.7 percent in February and down from 4.9 percent from March 2018.