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Digital News Report – California has been hit especially hard by the recession, but according to the California Employment Development Agency, the economy is showing signs of “life”.
The U.S. Department of Labor reported last week that unemployment was on the rise. The August unemployment rate rose to 9.6 percent from 9.5 percent in July. Much of that increase was due to the end of employment for temporary census workers.
The good news is that the private sector picked up some of the slack and produced 67,000. This is the eighth straight month of positive private sector job growth, which is averaging 95,000 per month this year.
During the first seven months of 2010, 65,300 jobs were created in California. The California Employment Development Department reports that the state lost 67,700 jobs per month in 2009, but this year has gained an average 9,300 jobs per month.
The construction industry in Santa Cruz has been hit especially hard. Four years ago there were 6,500 construction jobs. Today there are less than 3,000.
By: Mark Williams