SAN DIEGO (AP) -- California employers cut payrolls by 15,800 jobs in October, marking a sharp contrast to gains nationwide, the state reported Friday.
The construction industry posted the biggest monthly decline, losing 5,000 jobs.
In all, nearly 15.3 million people in California held payroll jobs in October, the state Employment Development Department said.
The October decline followed a revised gain of 12,100 jobs in September.
The job losses came as the nation posted its biggest increase in five months.
California's unemployment rate was 5.6 percent last month, unchanged from September and up from 4.8 percent in October 2006.
