September 2015
Highlights for policy makers: Unemployment Rate Declines to 5.9%; Total Employment Rises 11,900 State Employment Growth Rankings Labor Force Participation Rate Declines to 62.2%–Lowest Point Since 1976 Nonfarm Jobs Increase 8,200 6 Industries Remain Below 2007 Pre-Recession Job Levels 1 County Remains in Double-Digit Unemployment; One-Third are 5% or Less 7 California MSAs in Nation’s 10 Worst Unemployment Rates Two-Tier Economy Persists Bay Area Continues to Dominate Employment Growth