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Stanislaus sees unemployment trend downward; Merced County increases rate
labor
Merced County total employment grew 3.99%, the fastest among the San Joaquin Valley’s eight counties in 2021. Stanislaus County total employment grew the second fastest at 3.56%.

The unemployment rate in Stanislaus County recorded a slight drop in December, while Merced County posted an increase in the number of unemployed people for the same month, according to the latest data from the Employment Development Department.

Stanislaus County had an unemployment rate of 6.1 percent in December, down from a revised rate of 6.2 percent in November. The rate was below the year-ago estimate of 9.4 percent.

Merced County had a December unemployment rate of 8.2 percent, up from a revised rate of 7.6 percent in November. The rate was below the year-ago estimate of 11 percent.

Despite recording a drop in unemployment, Stanislaus County saw several sectors record job losses in December. The largest drop was in the Farming sector, which lost an estimated 1,900 positions for the month. Other sectors that recorded job losses for the month were: Government (600); Leisure and Hospitality (500); Manufacturing (300); and Mining, Logging and Construction (400).

Several of the sectors that recorded job losses typically see declines in the winter, according to the EDD historical data.

The sectors in Stanislaus County that did post job increases were Trade, Transportation and Utilities, which added approximately 100 positions. Professional and Business Services added an estimated 300 jobs and Educational and Health Services reported 600 new positions.

All but two sectors in Stanislaus County had year-over job numbers higher than that in 2020. The two that were down were Farming and Finance, each down by 100.

Stanislaus County had an estimated labor force of 239,800 in December, with an estimated 14,600 unemployed.

The Farming sector in Merced County also recoded a decline of approximately 1,900 jobs. Other sectors in Merced County that posted job declines for the month were: Mining, Logging and Construction (100); Government (100); and Trade, Transportation and Utilities (200).

The two Merced County sectors that posted job gains for the month were Leisure and Hospitality (100) and Manufacturing (100).

For the year-over numbers, only Professional and Business Services and Manufacturing were below the rate posted in December 2020.

California had an unemployment rate of 5 percent in December and the nation's was at 3.7 percent for the same time frame.

Turlock had an unemployment rate of 4.6 percent in December. Denair was at 5.7 percent and Keyes was at 7.5 percent. Hilmar came in at 2.6 percent for the month and Delhi was at 7.3 percent.

The EDD released data regarding the online job vacancies and the companies looking to hire for the month of December.

The top 10 positions with the most job ads for the month in Stanislaus County were: Registered nurses - 653, which was up by eight from the month prior; heavy and tractor-trailer drivers - 346, which was a decrease of 163 from the previous month; retail salespersons - 341, which was down by 71 from December; first-line supervisors of retail sales workers - 303, which was an increase of 22 from December; customer service representatives - 221, which was down by 29 from the month prior; sales representatives wholesale and manufacturing except scientific and technical products - 214, which dropped by 16 from December; managers - 189, which dropped by 20; laborer and freight, stock and material movers - 170, which dropped by 46 for the month; medical and health services managers - 161, which dropped by 17 for the month; and stock clerks and order fillers – 148, which was down by six.

In Merced County the top 10 positions with the most job ads were:  Heavy and tractor-trailer drivers - 90, which was down by 37 from December; registered nurses - 88, up by two from December; retail salespersons - 76, down by 25 from the month prior; first-line supervisors of retail sales workers - 71, which was down by 10 from December; customer service representatives - 50, which was down by 17; secretaries and administrative assistants - 36, up by one; maintenance and repair workers, general - 36, up by two; managers - 35, which was down by five; janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeepers — 35, which was down by eight; and laborers and freight, stock and material movers - 34, down by one.

The top 10 companies posting the most online job vacancies in Stanislaus County in December were: Anthem Blue Cross - 468, down by 51; Yosemite Community College District — 271, down by 41; California State University, Stanislaus - 235, down by 16; Tenet Health System - 211, down by eight; Sutter Health - 189, down by 46; The Save Mart Companies - 127, down by 12; E & J Gallo Winery — 103, down by 21; Emanuel Medical Center - 92, down by two; Kaiser Permanente - 85, down by 16; and Amazon - 81, down by 20.

The top 10 companies posting the most online job vacancies in Merced County in December were: Foster Farms - 124, which was down by eight from December; Dignity Health - 74, which was down by 13 from the previous month; UC Merced - 71, which was down by three; Hilmar Cheese Company Inc. — 51, up by 14; Merced County - 40, down by five; Starbucks Coffee Company - 29, up by five; Dole Packaged Foods - 21, down by seven; PLV Gem - 20, up by three; Lowe's companies Inc. - 20, up by five; and University of California - 18, up by one.