Riverside County’s jobless rate rises in July

RIVERSIDE (CNS) - Payroll losses in multiple sectors of the regional economy pushed Riverside County's unemployment rate up to nearly 6% in July, according to figures released today by the California Employment Development Department.

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

According to figures, the July rate was three-tenths of a percentage point lower than the year-ago level, when countywide unemployment stood at 6.2%.

The latest EDD estimates indicated Cherry Valley and Coachella were tied for the highest unemployment rate within the county in July at 10.8%, followed by Blythe at 10.6%, March Air Reserve Base and Rancho Mirage, both at 8.5%, Cabazon at 8%, and Palm Desert at 7.6%.

The combined unemployment rate for Riverside and San Bernardino counties -- the Inland Empire -- was 5.7%, up from 5.3% in June, the EDD said.

Bi-county data indicated payrolls shrank by the widest margin in the public sector, where about 15,400 positions were recorded as lost, mainly in education, reflecting summer inactivity on campuses.

Additional losses posted last month in the agricultural, construction, hospitality and professional business services sectors, which altogether shed 4,600 jobs, according to the EDD.

Payrolls expanded in the financial services, health services, information technology, manufacturing, and warehousing sectors, along with miscellaneous unclassified industries, which altogether added 4,100 positions, figures showed.

The mining sector was unchanged.

The statewide non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in July was 5.3%.