The unemployment rate in Stanislaus County for November saw some improvement from the previous month, but is not reflective of the December stay-at-home-order that forced some businesses to close or lessen staffing.

The November unemployment rate for Stanislaus County came in at 8.3%, down from a revised rate of 8.8% in October, but above the year-ago estimate of 5.3%, according to the latest numbers released by the Employment Development Department. The rate for the county was a bit higher than the rate of 8.2% for California and 6.4% for the nation during the same time period.

The drop in unemployment was largely spurred by an increase in jobs in the Trade, Transportation and Utility sector, which added an estimated 1,200 positions for the month, the EDD reported. Most of those jobs were at clothing and general merchandise stores.

Other sectors that were able to add jobs during November were: Professional and Business Services (200); Educational and Health Services (100); and Leisure and Hospitality (100).

Some of those gains were offset by job losses reported in other sectors, with the Manufacturing and Farming sectors taken the largest losses. The Farming sector recorded a drop of approximately 1,400 jobs and Manufacturing lost an estimated 1,000 positions, according to the EDD. The drop in manufacturing was mostly in food processing, which typically records drops during the winter months.

Merced and San Joaquin counties both had unemployment rates of 9% in November, the EDD reported.