LA County Unemployment Rate Increases

Los Angeles County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 7% in January, up from a revised 6.8% in December 2021, according to figures released Friday by the state Employment Development Department.

The 7% was below the rate of 10.9% during the COVID-19 pandemic in January 2021.

Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.8% in January, down from the 8.8% rate from January 2021. The comparable estimates for the nation were 4% during this past January.

According to the EDD, total nonfarm employment in Los Angeles County decreased by 75,100 jobs between December 2021 and January to reach about 4.40 million.

Employment in professional and business services was down 19,000, accounting for over 25% of total nonfarm job losses.

Administrative and support and waste services posted 14,800 of those losses, mainly in employment services (down 11,400), an industry which supply employers with temporary or seasonal employees.