Nevada unemployment inches up in March

Thursday, April 27, 2000 | 10:55 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The jobless rate inched up to 3.8 percent in March in Nevada, but it was still below the rates in the nation and California.

The state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation reported today there were an estimated 34,200 people jobless last month. The rate was one-tenth of a percentage point higher than in February but below the 4.1 percent national mark and the 4.9 percent level in California.

Department Director Carol Jackson said the picture looks good for the coming summer months with a number of businesses that are expanding or planning to open.

Total employment statewide in March reached slightly more than 1 million workers, an increase of 4.2 percent from March of 1999. The services industries, which include gaming and hotels, employed an estimated 436,700, up 5.4 percent; trade was up 6.5 percent to 205,900 workers; transportation and public utilities posted a 6.4 percent gain over the year with 53,200 people on the job and the number of jobs in manufacturing inched up 1.9 percent to 42,900.

Construction employment fell to 89,100, off 1 percent; mining was down 10.4 percent to 11,200 workers; industrial and electrical machinery employment fell 3.7 percent to 5,200 employed and state government workers dropped to 29,900, off 6.3 percent.

The department said the Las Vegas Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Clark and Nye counties and Mohave County in Arizona, posted a 3.6 percent jobless rate with an estimated 26,900 people out of work. That's one-tenth of one point lower than in February.

There were an estimated 734,200 employed in the Las Vegas area, up 5 percent from March of 1999. The service industries reported 331,800 people on the job, up 5.9 percent from a year ago; trade grew 7.2 percent to 153,000 workers; transportation and public utilities employment rose to 39,300 workers, an increase of 7.7 percent and manufacturing increased 3.5 percent to 23,800 jobs.

But employment in construction in Southern Nevada was off 1.9 percent with 71,000 workers; state employment fell 3 percent to 13,000 people on the job and mining employment dropped 5.3 percent to 1,800 workers.

Washoe County posted a 2.9 percent unemployment rate, down from the 3.2 percent in February. There were an estimated 5,000 people out of work. Employment totaled 191,200, up 3.6 percent from a year ago.

The Carson City Labor Market Area, which includes Douglas, Lyon and Storey counties and Carson City, registered a 4.3 percent unemployment rate, down seven tenths of one point from February. There were an estimated 2,350 people out of work. Total employment was 51,770, up 4.5 percent from a year ago.

Elko and Eureka counties posted a 4.5 percent unemployment rate with 930 people out of work. That's three-tenths of one point lower than February. There were 19,970 people employed during the month, a gain of 3.1 percent from a year ago.

Unemployment rates in the local counties are hard figures and the statewide rate is seasonally adjusted. Department officials say that explains why the statewide rate is up while the figures in the counties for unemployment are down.