Report: Riverside County’s jobless rate almost 6%

Riverside County's unemployment rate jumped to almost 6% last month amid a region-wide seasonal loss of thousands of positions in the public sector, according to figures released today by the California Employment Development Department.

The countywide jobless rate in July, based on preliminary EDD estimates, was 5.9%, compared to 5.4% in June.  

According to data, the July rate was nearly a full percentage point above the year-ago level, when countywide unemployment stood at 5%.   

Mecca had the highest unemployment rate countywide in July at 14.3%, followed by Coachella at 11.7%, Cherry Valley at 10.6%, Rancho Mirage at 8.4% and East Hemet at 8.2%.

The combined unemployment rate for Riverside and San Bernardino counties -- the Inland Empire -- in July was 5.8%, up from 5.3% in June, the EDD said.

Bi-county data indicated payrolls shrank by the widest margin in the public sector, which shed a total 18,000 positions, the overwhelming majority of which were in education as teachers, counselors and support staff exited the employment base on summer hiatus.

The agricultural, hospitality and manufacturing sectors also recorded losses, amounting to roughly 1,900 jobs.   

The professional business services sector posted the largest gains in July, expanding payrolls by 1,900, while additional growth was recorded in the construction, financial services, health services, information technology and transportation sectors, which altogether expanded by 3,900 jobs, according to figures.

Miscellaneous unclassified industries and the mining sector were unchanged last month.

The statewide non-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in July was 5.8%.