La. jobless down for 21st straight month

Louisiana employment continued to set records in November, when the non-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate dropped below 3%, the state Workforce Commission said.

Meanwhile, St. Mary Parish employment is approaching 20,000 again after setbacks from COVID and a prolonged slump in energy prices.

Louisiana’s unemployment rate for November was 2.9%, a record low for the state. That’s down from 3.1% in October and 4.0% in November 2021.

November was the 21st consecutive month of declines in the state unemployment rate.

The number of employed people, also not seasonally adjusted, grew by 16,645 from October to November to 2,025,926.

“We’ve done it again. November’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate came in at 2.9%, the lowest in the state’s history,” said Louisiana Workforce Commission Secretary Ava Cates. “Major industries statewide are maintaining a steady increase in job creation and opportunities for Louisianians.”

Major industries that showed the largest gains for seasonally adjusted jobs over the month:

—Construction gained 3,400 jobs from October 2022.

—Education and Health Services gained 1,300 jobs from October 2022.

—Financial Activities gained 600 jobs from October 2022.

Major industries that showed the largest gains for seasonally adjusted jobs over the year:

—Education and Health Services gained 14,800 jobs from November 2021.

—Leisure and Hospitality gained 13,700 jobs from November 2021.

—Professional and Business Services gained 10,700 jobs from November 2021.

Among Louisiana’s MSAs in November 2022, seasonally adjusted data shows:

—Alexandria (63,000 jobs) added 200 jobs from October 2022 and gained 1,300 jobs from November 2021.

—Baton Rouge (401,500 jobs) added 500 jobs from October 2022 and gained 4,000 jobs from November 2021.

—Hammond (46,900 jobs) added 200 jobs from October 2022 and gained 1,100 jobs from November 2021.

—Houma (81,300 jobs) added 100 jobs from October 2022 and gained 2,700 jobs from November 2021.

—Lafayette (203,400 jobs) showed no change from October 2022, but gained 5,200 jobs from November 2021.

—Lake Charles (101,800 jobs) added 800 jobs from October 2022 and gained 1,900 jobs from November 2021.

— Monroe (76,200 jobs) added 300 jobs from October 2022 and gained 700 jobs from November 2021.

—New Orleans (564,100 jobs) lost 1,000 jobs from October 2022, but gained 21,900 jobs from November 2021.

—Shreveport (175,700 jobs) lost 700 jobs from October 2022, but gained 2,000 jobs from November 2021.

Parish-by-parish and MSA unemployment rates for November were due to be released late this week.

In October, St. Mary’s unemployment rate was 3.9%, down from 4.3% in September and 5.2% in October 2021.

The number of unemployed people in the parish, which exceeded 1,000 in October 2021, was at 723 in October 2022.

But the number of employed people declined, too. The commission said 18,168 St. Mary people had jobs in October 2021, compared to 17,876 in October 2022.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics parish-by-parish employment numbers are reported quarterly and lag behind other economic statistics.

But as of June 2022, 19,877 people were employed in St. Mary, the highest total since COVID lock-downs began to take hold in March 2020, when 20,816 parish residents were employed.
Employment here peaked at 27,374 in September 2014 before a long slide in energy prices drove employment below 19,000.