March 2016
Highlights for policy makers: Unemployment Rate Eases to 5.4%; Total Employment Rises 46,300 State Employment Growth Rankings Labor Force Participation Rate Unchanged at 62.0% Nonfarm Jobs Increase 4,200 Seven Industries Below 2007 Pre-Recession Job Levels 12 Counties Remain in Double-Digit Unemployment; 16 are 5% or Less Two-Tier Economy Persists 8 California MSAs in the 10 Worst Unemployment Rates Nationally All data used in this month’s report reflects the March 2015 benchmark revisions recently released by EDD and BLS, and labor force data for all geographic areas in the Center’s Data Tool and Indicators has been updated as well. These revisions affect previously reported data and related estimates beginning in 2010.