San Diego’s unemployment rate was 9.3 percent in January, up from a revised 9 percent in December, but down from January 2011, when the rate was 10.5 percent, according to a March 9 report from the state’s Employment Development Department.
The local rate in January was also below California’s adjusted unemployment rate of 10.9 percent, but above the national jobless rate of 8.8 percent.
January’s increase was expected since many retailers lay off temporary workers after the Christmas shopping season ends. The job category that includes retail trade showed a loss of 7,600 jobs, with 4,800 of those attributed to retail.
Ten of 11 job sectors showed net losses during the month, with the largest being educational and health services, down by 3,900 jobs; construction, down 3,100; and leisure and hospitality, down 2,900. The only segment showing no change during the month was mining and logging.
In the 12 months from January 2011, the region has gained a net of 11,400 jobs, bringing the total nonfarm employment locally to 1,228,500, up 0.9 percent.
The largest segment contributing to the gain was professional and business services, which added 7,000 jobs during the year, followed by three other segments, leisure and hospitality, up 4,900; educational and health services, up 2,400; and trade, transportation and utilities (a segment including wholesale and retail trade), up 1,300.
— Mike Allen
