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Little change to countys unemployment rate
Hilmar cheese hiring fair
The EDD reported that there were 392,093 people receiving regular Unemployment Insurance benefits during the October 2014 survey week. - photo by Journal file photo

The unemployment rate in Stanislaus County rose slightly in October, but continued to remain at a low level not seen in the area since the Great Recession.

Stanislaus County’s unemployment rate for October came in at 9.9 percent, up from a revised rate of 9.6 percent recorded in September, and below the year-ago estimate of 11.8 percent, according to the latest report from the Employment Development Department. September was the first time the county saw an unemployment rate below 10 percent since 2007.

The summer and early months of fall are typically better months for the county’s unemployed because more jobs become available in the harvest season. October saw the end of many harvests and with that the end of some seasonal jobs, particularly in the manufacturing sector. The manufacturing sector dropped an estimated 4,400 jobs in October, with 37.9 percent of those coming from the food manufacturing industries, the EDD reported. Farm jobs also had a decline of about 200 jobs for the month.

Sectors showing job growth for the month in Stanislaus County were: Trade, Transportation and Utilities (500), Professional and Business Services (300), Educational and Health Services (600), Leisure and Hospitality (200), and Government (600).

The EDD recorded a labor force of 236,700 people in Stanislaus County with approximately 23,500 unemployed.

Merced County’s unemployment rate for October was at 10.3 percent, down from 10.4 percent the month prior. San Joaquin County had an unemployment rate of 9.9 percent in October, up from the 9.7 recorded in September.

California’s unemployment rate was at 7 percent in October and the nation’s was at 5.5 percent for the same time period.

EDD’s report on payroll employment (wage and salary jobs) in the nonfarm industries of California totaled 15,567,600 in October, a net gain of 41,500 jobs since the September survey. In a year-over-year comparison, from October 2013 to October 2014, nonfarm payroll employment in California increased by 319,500 jobs.

The EDD reported that there were 392,093 people receiving regular Unemployment Insurance benefits during the October 2014 survey week. This compares with 392,823 last month and 405,761 last year. At the same time, new claims for Unemployment Insurance were 52,788 in October 2014, compared with 52,279 in September and 72,737 in October of last year.

The unemployment rate in Turlock was at 7.5 percent, up from 7.3 percent in September. Denair had an unemployment rate of 5.3 percent, which is up from the 5.2 percent recorded in September. Hughson’s rate rose from 12.9 percent to 13.1 percent in October.  Keyes had an October unemployment rate of 18 percent, up from the 17.7 percent recorded in September. Ceres had a rate of 12.5 percent in October, up from 12.2 percent.

The jobs and professions having the most help wanted ads in Stanislaus County for October were: Registered Nurses – 721; Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers –510; Retail Salespersons – 255; First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers – 160; Customer Service Representatives — 155; Physical Therapists – 130; Critical Care Nurses — 127; Maintenance and Repair Workers, General — 124; Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing — 117; and First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers.

The 10 companies that posted the most help wanted ads for October in Stanislaus County were: Tenet Healthcare Corporation — 217; TruStaff – 177; Conifer Health Solutions — 146; Kaiser Permanente — 107; CTG – Computer Task Group — 105; Supplemental Health Care – 97; Soliant — 73; Modesto City Schools — 57; California State University System — 56; and Sutter Health – 55.