May Unemployment Figures Drop Slightly
Figures from the California Department of Economic Development show Imperial County's seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate dropped slightly in May.
It's the first decline in the Imperial County unemployment rate in the last five months.
According to figures from the EDD Web site, the unemployment rate for May in Imperial County was 26.8 per cent. That number represents an decrease of 0.1 percentage points from April, when the rate was 26.9 percent. It's the first decline in the Imperial County unemployment rate in the last five months. The May unemployment rate in Imperial County is still the highest in the state.
The number of people who were unemployed in Imperial County in May actually increased to 20,200, which was an increase of 200 people from April, when the number of unemployed people in Imperial County was 20,000.
However, the number of employed people in Imperial County in May also increased to 55,300, up from the April figure of 54,500. The figures from the EDD also show the total labor force in Imperial County increased in May to 75,500, a small gain from April figure of 74,500. The correlation of the labor force increase and the increase of the number of unemployed persons suggests people are still filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits in Imperial County.
The EDD report also shows the unemployment rate in California rose to its highest historical level. The statewide unemployment rate was 10.9 percent in May , up from 11.5 percent in April.
For a comprehensive look at Imperial County's April employment figures, Click HERE
The county's all-time high unemployment rate is 31 percent, which was recorded in 1992, according to the 2007 annual report issued by the Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation (IVEDC).
To view the report, Click HERE
The Imperial County numbers have not been seasonally adjusted. Due to the number of people in the region who work in agriculture, and who move out of the area when that work is completed, the number of unemployed people in Imperial County listed in the report is most likely higher than the actual number of unemployed people here, and may be adjusted downward.
Government employment, either local, state or federal, accounts for nearly one-third of all the jobs in Imperial County, due to the fact that two big state prisons are located in the county, (Calipatria and Centinela), and the presence of a large Border Patrol force. The IVEDC report also indicates that 21.8 percent of the Imperial county workforce is comprised of agricultural workers.