Jobless rate drops, so does number working

St. Landry Parish’s unemployment was 7.8 percent in September, down from 8.1 percent a year ago, but the number of people employed and looking for jobs dropped over the year, a report by the Louisiana Workforce Commission shows.
The report, which is not seasonally adjusted, issued Tuesday, also shows the impact of low oil prices in the state.
Louisiana’s unemployment rates dropped in seven of the state’s nine metropolitan statistical areas from the same period a year ago.
The state jobless rate was 6.2 percent in September, down from 6.9 percent in September 2014.
The national unemployment rate was 4.9 percent in September, down from 5.7 percent a year ago.
There were 31,331 people working in St. Landry Parish in September, down from 31,893 a year ago. There were 2,656 people looking for work in the parish, down from 2,822 a year ago.
In Evangeline Parish, the September unemployment rate was 7.4 percent, up from 7.2 percent a year ago. There were 12,143 people working and 971 people looking for jobs. In September 2014, there were 12,446 people employed and 962 people unemployed.
In Acadia Parish, the September unemployment rate was 6.8 percent, up from 6.2 percent in September 2014. There were 24,906 people counted as employed and 1,803 unemployed in September. A year ago in September, there were 25,606 people employed and 1,682 unemployed.
The Lafayette and Houma areas, where low oil prices have negatively impacted employment, experienced increases in unemployment rates from the previous month and from September 2014, the report stated.
The report shows the state’s total civilian labor force declined by 32,177 individuals in September from a year ago. The total nonfarm labor force was about flat at 1,986,400 people, up only 100 from September 2014.
Nonfarm employment sectors that showed the biggest job losses compared with September 2014 included mining and logging, including oil and gas, down 8,800; government, down 6,000; trade, transportation, and utilities, down 4,500; and construction, down 1,700.
Showing improvement during the same period were education and health services, up 8,800 jobs; professional and business services; up 5,600; leisure and hospitality, up 4,800; and financial services, up 1,300.
Not-seasonally-adjusted September unemployment rates and over-the-year nonfarm job change totals for the state and the nine Metropolitan Statistical Areas are as follows:
— Alexandria: 6.5 percent, unchanged from August and down from 7.4 percent in September 2014. Down 400 jobs.
— Baton Rouge: 5.3 percent, down from 5.5 percent in August and 6.3 percent in September 2014. Up 6,700 jobs.
— Hammond: 6.9 percent, down from 7.1 percent in August and 8 percent in September 2014. Up 500 jobs.
— Houma: 5.6 percent, up from 5.4 percent in August and 5.2 percent in September 2014. Down 2,000 jobs.
— Lafayette: 6.3 percent, up from 6.2 percent in August and 5.8 percent in September 2014. Down 3,700 jobs.
— Lake Charles: 5.3 percent, unchanged from August and down from 6.4 percent in September 2014. Up 3,800 jobs.
— Monroe: 6.6 percent, down from 6.8 percent in August and 7.6 percent in September 2014. Down 900 jobs.
— New Orleans: 6.1 percent, unchanged from August and down from 7.1 percent in September 2014. Down 1,400 jobs.
— Shreveport: 6.9 percent, unchanged from August and down from 7.7 percent in September 2014. Down 1,700 jobs.