St. Mary unemployment up, even with job gains
The number of employed people in St. Mary Parish rose by more than 200 from May to June, but the number of unemployed people grew faster, raising the parish's jobless rate.
The Louisiana Workforce Commission reported Friday that St. Mary's unemployment rate for June was 5.8%, up from 4.7% in May.
Employment was up 209 to 18,566 month over month, but the number of unemployed people -- those who are out of work but actively seeking jobs -- rose by 229 to 1,141.
June 2022 employment in St. Mary was up 635 from the same month a year ago, when the unemployment rate was 8.6%.
Assumption saw a 13-job monthly decrease in June, while the number of unemployed was up 107 to 553. The Assumption unemployment rate rose 1.2 points to 6.3%.
St. Martin, like St. Mary, saw an increase in both employment and unemployment. Employment was up 79 to 21,681 in June from the month before, while unemployment rose 210 to 1,008. The jobless rate was up 0.8 points to 4.4%.
Statewide, the 3.8% unemployment rate for June was the lowest non-seasonally adjusted jobless rate in the state's history, the commission said.
That's despite a drop of 5,800 total nonfarm jobs since May and a loss of 2,300 private sector jobs.
The manufacturing sector was the high point, gaining 900 jobs month-over-month and 6,800 since June 2021.
In a press release, Gov. John Bel Edwards called the June unemployment rate "a testament to the hard bipartisan work we have done to grow, diversify, and invest in our economy. Even more so, it speaks to the incredible talent and strong work ethic of our people who have weathered floods, hurricanes, and a global pandemic and have come out stronger.
"We know that the best tool for a family to fight the pressures of inflation is a good-paying job. This is a great time for Louisianans who are looking to start a new career or find a new opportunity with better pay. I want to encourage the people of Louisiana to reach out to the Louisiana Workforce Commission for assistance and to look at what opportunities might be available in their communities."