June jobless rate in Nevada up slightly

Friday, July 25, 1997 | 9:49 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Unemployment in June in Nevada inched up to 4.5 percent but it was still well below the national average, the state reported today.

An estimated 44,500 individuals were jobless compared with 36,200 in May when the rate was 4.4 percent, the state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation said.

"Nevada's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate continues to be low and stable," said department Director Carol Jackson, noting the national rate at 5 percent. "Our rate remains well below the national rate and has held at between 4.4 percent and 4.6 percent for six straight months."

Jackson said the jobs economy continues to be strong with the low unemployment rate and the state leading the nation in job growth since 1994.

Las Vegas metropolitan statistical area's jobless rate jumped to 4.9 percent, up 0.8 percent over May. There were an estimated 33,800 people out of work, or 6,400 more than in May.

The department reported the jobless rate in Washoe County rose to 4.2 percent with 7,300 people out of work, compared with 3.7 percent in May. Unemployment in Carson City jumped to 6.5 percent, up 1 percent from May. This area includes Carson City, Douglas, Lyon and Storey counties.

The jobless rate in Elko-Eureka counties increased from 4.3 percent in May to 5.2 percent in June.

Statewide, employment reached 858,200, up 7.5 percent, or 59,600 jobs, from a year ago. Construction jobs increased 13.2 percent to 84,900; the services industries, which includes hotels and gaming, rose 5.2 percent to 386,700 employed; government jobs were up 9.1 percent to 105,700; and manufacturing inched up 3.6 percent to 40,100 during the year-to-year comparison.

The department reported employment in the Las Vegas area, which includes Clark and Nye counties in Nevada and Mohave County in Arizona at 650,100, up 8.8 percent from a year ago.

Construction employment grew 13.6 percent to 65,100 jobs; the services industries rose 6.6 percent to 289,100 in the Las Vegas area; government jobs increased 12.7 percent to 64,700; and manufacturing was up 4.7 percent to 22,400 employed.