Area jobless rates up

St. Landry Parish’s unemployent rate dipped slightly to 7.8 percent in April from 7.9 percent in March, but remained above the 6.1 percent in April 2014, according to not seasonally adjusted data released Tuesday by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Evangeline Parish’s jobless rate also dipped from 7.5 percent in March to 7.4 percent in April. The parish’s unemployment rate was 5.2 percent in April 2014.
Acadia Parish’s unemployment rate was 6.4 percent in April, which was unchanged from March. The Acadia Parish jobless rate in April 2014 was 4.5 percent.
Louisiana’s overall labor force, the number of people employed in the labor force, and nonfarm jobs grew in April.
Louisiana’s unemployment rate declined by 0.1 percentage points over the month to 6.3 percent. The number of people looking for work also decreased by 1,494 in April, according to estimates from a BLS survey of 750 Louisiana households.
Curt Eysink, executive director of the Louisiana Workforce Commission, said, “The April numbers reflect the same growth we’ve been experiencing for four years.”
The state’s civilian labor force grew by 10,878 over the month and by 84,455 over the year, according to the not seasonally adjusted data. Those employed in the labor force grew to a record 2,063,629, an increase of 12,372 over the month and 53,546 over the year.
There were 32,213 people working in St. Landry Parish in April, up from 31,469 in April 2014. There were 2,738 unemployed in April, up from 2,028 a year ago in April.
Evangeline Parish’s employed grew from 12,341 in April 2014 to 12,430 this April. The unemployed count rose from 681 in April 2014 to 12,430 this April.
There were 25,652 people employed in April, up from 25,198 in April 2014. There were 1,759 people unemployed in Acadia Parish in April, up from 1,183 a year ago in April.
A separate BLS survey of employers across industries and the state found Louisiana added 4,500 nonfarm jobs in April to bring the nonfarm employment total to 1,986,500, not seasonally adjusted data show.
Private employers added 4,300 jobs over the month and 15,000 jobs over the year. Professional and business services posted the largest over-the-month increase with 1,700 additional jobs in April. Leisure and hospitality added 1,500 jobs and the information sector added 1,000 jobs.
Mining and logging, which includes oil and gas, lost 1,100 jobs over the month and 5,100 jobs over the year.
The Baton Rouge metropolitan statistical area added 1,000 nonfarm jobs over the month and 7,700 jobs over the year, making April the 52nd consecutive month of over-the-year increases. Nonfarm employment in the Lake Charles metro area has had 46 consecutive months of over-the-year increases with 7,400 more jobs than last year.
Not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates rose over year in six of Louisiana’s metro areas:
Alexandria: 6.5 percent, up from 5.2 percent;
Baton Rouge: 5.5 percent, up from 4.7 percent;
Hammond: 7.1 percent, up from 6 percent;
Houma, 5.6 percent, up from 3.8 percent;
Lafayette: 6.1 percent, up from 4.2 percent;
Lake Charles: 5.3 percent, up from 4.8 percent;
Monroe: 6.7 percent, up from 5.6 percent;
New Orleans: 6 percent, up from 5 percent;
Shreveport: 6.9 percent, up from 5.7 percent.