Los Angeles County gains 4,900 jobs over the month; gains 64,700 over the year

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Los Angeles County declined over the month to 4.4 percent in April 2018 from a revised 4.5 percent in March 2018 and was below the rate of 4.8 percent one year ago. Civilian employment decreased by 1,000 to 4,912,000 in April 2018, while unemployment declined by 1,000 to 228,000 over the month. The civilian labor force decreased by 1,000 over the month to 5,141,000 in April 2018. (All of the above figures are seasonally adjusted.) The unadjusted unemployment rate for the county was 4.0 percent in April 2018. The California seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.2 percent in April 2018, 4.3 percent in March 2018, and 5.0 percent a year ago in April 2017. The comparable estimates for the nation were 3.9 percent in April 2018, 4.1 percent in March 2018, and 4.4 percent a year ago.

Between March 2018 and April 2018, total nonfarm employment in Los Angeles County increased by 4,900 jobs to reach 4,481,700.

• Spring break drove up the payrolls in leisure and hospitality for the largest month over increase of 3,500 jobs. The smaller than average seasonal job gain was concentrated in accommodation and food services (up 3,400), which accounted for almost all of the industry growth.
  
  
• Construction posted the second largest month-over job increase, augmenting payrolls by 2,500 jobs. The gains were in specialty trade contractors (up 1,300), construction of buildings (up 1,300), but were offset by a loss of 100 jobs in heavy and civil engineering.
  
  
• Professional and business services reported an overall gain of 1,900 jobs. An advance of 2,600 jobs in professional, scientific, and technical services and 400 jobs in management of companies drove up the industry job gains. The overall total was offset by a loss of 1,100 jobs in administrative and support and waste services.


• Industries that posted month-over job losses include information (down 1,500), educational and health services (down 1,200), trade, transportation, and utilities (down 800), government (down 400), and other services (down 200).

Between April 2017 and April 2018, Los Angeles County total nonfarm employment increased by 64,700, or 1.5 percent.

• Leisure and hospitality expanded payrolls by 19,400 jobs over the year. Job increases in accommodation and food services (up 10,800) and arts, entertainment and recreation (up 8,600) accounted for the growth.


• Employment in educational and health services was up 18,400 over the year. Health care and social assistance (up 14,500) accounted for almost eighty percent of the job growth, while educational services posted the remaining industry job gain of 3,900.
  
  
• Professional and business services augmented payrolls by 16,000 over the year. The gains were concentrated in administrative and support and waste services (up 11,400), which includes employment agencies. An increase of 6,400 jobs in professional, scientific and technical services also contributed to the increase.
  
  
• Industries reporting year-over job reductions include other services (down 3,700), trade, transportation, and utilities (down 1,900), government (down 1,000), and mining and logging (down 100).