Nevada jobless rate increases slightly

Friday, Oct. 27, 2000 | 10:35 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Unemployment in Nevada in September crept up to 4 percent, topping the national rate for the first time since January.

The state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation reported Thursday the September rate was higher than the August rate of 3.8 percent and also above the 3.9 percent national average. A spokeswoman for the department said Nevada's rate since January has been lower than the national rate until last month.

There were an estimated 43,900 people without jobs during the month.

Department Director Myla Florence said, "The unemployment picture was mixed around the state. Urban areas experienced low unemployment and year-to-year improvement, while rural mining counties continued to feel the pinch of low gold prices."

The department said the Las Vegas Metropolitan statistical area (Clark and Nye Counties and Mohave County in Arizona) posted a 4.3 percent unemployment rate, up one-tenth of a percentage point over August and five-tenths of a percentage point lower than a year ago.

Washoe County's rate remained at 2.7 percent for the month and five-tenths of a percentage point below a year ago.

Florence said the number of jobs in the state in September was 45,500 more than a year ago. "Every major industry registered growth except mining," she said.

She said there were a number of new businesses planned or being opened that should continue the healthy job picture.

Examples include the WebVan Group, an Internet grocery retailer in North Las Vegas that could employ up to 900 people over the next three years; and Drescher Corp., which plans to open a $19 million cold storage food distribution center in North Las Vegas that will initially employ about 100 workers.

Total employment statewide grew to 1,047,100 people statewide, a gain of 4.5 percent from a year ago. The service industries, which include hotels and casinos, registered 457,700 workers, up 5 percent from September last year.

Construction jobs grew by 2.6 percent to 94,200; manufacturing was up 4.2 percent to 44,300; trade increased 5.5 percent to 217,400 people; manufacturing was up 4.2 percent to 44,300 jobs and government increased 4.2 percent to 121,600 jobs. Mining declined 4.3 percent to 11,100.

The Las Vegas area reported 761,400 jobs, an increase of 4.8 percent from a year ago. The service industries posted a 4.8 percent gain to 346,400 jobs; construction was up 2.9 percent to 73,600; manufacturing increased 3.8 percent to 24,400; trade grew 5.5 percent to 160,300 jobs and government increased by 6.2 percent to 79,300 employed.

The department said unemployment in the Carson City area, which includes Carson City, Douglas, Lyon and Storey counties, declined from 3.9 percent in August to 3.6 percent in September with an estimated 2,060 people out of work. Total employment rose to 54,810, up 6 percent from a year ago.