St. Mary jobless rate increases in February

The St. Mary Parish unemployment rate ticked upward to 5.1% in February, while employment dropped by 130 jobs, according to the latest report from the Louisiana Workforce Commission.
The parish’s jobless rate, which measures the percentage of the workforce that is out of work and actively seeking jobs, had been below 5% for more than a year.
The unemployment rate was up from 4.8% in January and 4.0% in February 2023.
Total nonfarm employment here was at 17,644 in February, down from 17,774 the previous month and 18,436 in February last year.
The commission reported that 955 St. Mary people were unemployed in February, up from 903 in January and 771 in February 2023.
In Assumption, the jobless rate was at 4.7% in February, down from 4.8% in January on employment of 8,317, down from 8,395 in January, and unemployment of 409, down from 419 the previous month.
St. Martin’s February unemployment rate was 4.5%, up from 4.3% in January on employment of 20,915 and unemployment of 984. In January, employment was at 21,019 and unemployment at 947.
Statewide, the January jobless rate was at 4.2% in February, while employment stood at about 2.1 million and unemployment at just more than 88,000.
The state lost 200 net jobs month over month but is ahead by 3,100 jobs compared to February 2023.
The biggest employment gain statewide was in private education and health services, which gained 2,000 jobs from January and 6,500 jobs from February 2023. Trade, transportation and utilities was up 800 jobs month over month, and construction gained 700 jobs.
Manufacturing added 400 jobs.
The biggest losses were in leisure and hospitality, which lost 2,000 jobs from January, and government, which lost 1,800 jobs.
Mining and logging, the sector that includes many energy industry jobs, lost 100 jobs.
The state has added jobs in 11 of the last 16 months and has seen 35 consecutive year over year gains, the Workforce Commission said.