Tri-Parish workforce continues to decline

The Tri-Parish workforce continued its decline from a year ago, according to federal data released Friday by the Louisiana Workforce Commission.
St. Landry Parish’s March workforce was 33,413 was down 1.6 percent from March 2015. 
Evangeline Parish’s workforce was 12,911 in March, down 1.6 percent from March 2015. 
Acadia Parish saw the steepest decline with the March workforce totaling 25,695, down 3 percent from March 2015. 
March unemployment rates in St. Landry and Evangeline parishes held steady from a year ago. 
In St. Landry Parish, the March unemployment rate was 8.1 percent, which was no change from March 2015, but up from 7.6 percent in February. 
In March, the Evangeline Parish unemployment rate was 7.5 percent, down from 7.6 percent in March 2015, but up from 7.1 percent in February. 
Acadia Parish’s March unemployment rate was 7.4 percent, up form 6.6 percent a year ago in March and from 6.8 percent in February. 
The unemployment numbers are not adjusted for seasonal factors such as weather and holidays. 
There were 30,708 people employed in St. Landry Parish in March, down from 31,188 in March 2015. 
In Evangeline Parish, there were 11,942 people working in March, down from 12,132 people employed a year ago. 
In Acadia Parish, there were 23,805 people employed in March, down from 24,743 a year ago. 
The state’s not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate rose in March to 6.1 percent as the state’s civilian labor force gained almost 27,000 people.
In February, the state’s not-seasonally-adjusted rate was 5.8 percent. The March 2015 rate was 6.4 percent.
The March seasonally-adjusted report for Louisiana was released on April 15 and also showed an unemployment rate of 6.1 percent.
Louisiana’s civilian labor force – people employed and unemployed but seeking a job – grew during March. The not-seasonally-adjusted report showed the state’s labor force increased by 26,974 people over the month but is down 10,159 over the year.
Unemployment rates declined over the year in seven of the state’s nine metropolitan statistical areas. Not-seasonally-adjusted March unemployment rates and over-the-year nonfarm job change totals for the nine MSAs are as follows:
— Alexandria: 6.2 percent, up from 5.8 percent in February but down from 6.7 percent in March 2015. The MSA added 100 jobs for the month and 300 over the year. The MSA has added jobs over the year for 32 consecutive months.
— Baton Rouge: 5.0 percent, up from 4.8 percent in February but down from 5.6 percent in March 2015. The region gained 4,400 jobs over the month and 10,300 over the year. Employment is at a historical high. The MSA has recorded 63 consecutive months of over-the-year gains.
— Hammond: 6.8 percent, up from 6.6 percent in February but down from 7.4 percent from March 2015. The MSA added 200 jobs over the month but is down 300 over the year.
— Houma: 6.7 percent, up from 6.1 percent in February and up from 5.6 percent in March 2015. The MSA lost 300 jobs over the month and is down 6,500 over the year.
— Lafayette: 7.1 percent, up from 6.6 percent in February and 6.2 percent in March 2015. The MSA gained 200 jobs for the month but is down 9,300 over the year. The March jobs gain was the second consecutive monthly increase after five straight over-the-month losses.
— Lake Charles: 5.0 percent, up from 4.7 percent in February but down from 5.6 percent in March 2015. The MSA gained 800 jobs over the month and is up 3,100 over the year. Lake Charles has posted 57 consecutive months of over-the-year increases.
— Monroe: 6.2 percent, up from 5.9 percent in February but down from 6.9 percent in March 2015. Monroe gained 100 jobs over the month and 700 over the year. March was the 16th consecutive month of over-the-year increases.
— New Orleans: 5.6 percent, up from 5.2 percent in February but down from 6.2 percent in March 2015. New Orleans gained 3,200 jobs over the month – its third over-the-month gain in the past four months. The MSA is up 1,000 jobs over the year.
— Shreveport: 6.5 percent, up from 6.1 percent in February but down from 7.0 percent in March 2015. The MSA gained 400 jobs over the month but lost 1,800 over the year. Total employment was the lowest for the month of March since 2004.