Richland Parish jobless rate falls to 9.2 percent

Richland Parish’s unemployment rate rate fell almost a full percent in February according to figures released this week by the Louisiana Works Commission.

Louisiana’s jobless rate for February was 9.2 percent, down from 10.1 percent in January and up from 7.7 percent during the same period a year ago.

That translates into 807 people looking for work in Richland Parish in February, down from 886 in January but up greatly from 648 in February 2014.

Currently there are 7,998 people working in Richland Parish. That number is up from 7,857 in January and 7,888 in February 2014.

Jackson and LaSalle parishes had the lowest employment in the state in February with 5.8 percent. 

East Carroll Parish had the state’s highest unemployment rate at 15.6 percent.

Louisiana’s unemployed rate was 6.2 percent in February, up 0.9 percentage points from a year earlier but a decrease of 0.8 percentage points from January, not seasonally adjusted data show.

The national rate in February was 5.8 percent, down from 7.0 percent over the year and a decrease of 0.3 percentage points from the previous month.

The state’s civilian labor force grew by 79,227 over the year to 2,164,909 in February, according to the not seasonally adjusted data. The number of people employed in the labor force was 2,030,116, the highest February on record. The number of people unemployed but seeking work was 134,793, based on estimates from a BLS monthly survey of 750 Louisiana households.

A separate BLS survey of 7,000 employers across industries and the state found total nonfarm employment was 1,980,500 in February, not seasonally adjusted data show. That figure reflects an increase of 23,500 jobs over the year.

“The robust labor force growth in Louisiana is ideal for new jobs employers who have been adding jobs,” said LWC Executive Director Curt Eysink. “In addition, unemployment decreased throughout the state.”