A post-holiday loss of retail jobs pushed up San Diego County's unemployment rate in January to 5.8 percent, the state Employment Development Department announced Tuesday.
That compares to a 5.5 percent rate in December, and a 7.2 percent figure one year earlier. By contrast, the state's unemployment rate in January was 7.3 percent, and was 6.1 percent nationwide. The figures are not seasonally adjusted.
The Employment Development Department reported that around 9,400 jobs in the retail trade were lost in January. Leisure and hospitality shed 3,900 positions and 3,600 government jobs were eliminated.
The monthly dip contrasts markedly with the improved jobs picture since the first month of 2014.
In the ensuing year, San Diego County picked up around 40,400 nonfarm jobs. The biggest increases were in professional, scientific and technical services — 8,300 positions; food services and drinking places — 8,200; and administration and support — 3,700, according to the Employment Development Department.
An estimated 89,500 San Diegans were unemployed in January out of a civilian workforce of 1.55 million, up by 4,900 from December but 20,000 or so fewer than the same time last year according to the agency.
January's local unemployment figures were released later than usual because the Employment Development Department had to conform to new U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics benchmarks, according to the state agency.
