Nevada jobless rate increases as economic growth slows down

Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2001 | 11 a.m.

SUN CAPITAL BUREAU

CARSON CITY -- Nevada's unemployment inched up to 4.7 percent in July, surpassing the national rate but still ranking below neighboring California, the state reported today.

The Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation said the July figure is one-tenth of a percentage point higher than the same month of 2000. There were an estimated 52,300 people out of work in Nevada last month.

The national unemployment rate is 4.5 percent and California's is 4.9.

Department Director Myla Florence said the state's "job growth remains the national leader, though the once run-away pace of growth has slowed significantly."

She said the state is suffering a second year of drought, affecting rural areas already hard-hit from the mining industry slump brought on by several years of low gold prices.

Total jobs in July reached 1.064 million, up 3.8 percent from a year ago.

The department said the jobless rate in the Las Vegas metropolitan statistical area rose to 5.2 percent in July, up from the 5.1 percent in June. There were an estimated 42,300 people without jobs during the month in the area. which includes Clark and Nye counties in Nevada and Mohave County in Arizona.

Total employment in the area rose 4.1 percent from a year ago to 779,800 people.

The department said that statewide construction jobs grew 3.3 percent to 92,800 in the year-to-year comparison; manufacturing rose by 3.3 percent to 92,800 employed; jobs in the trade sector jumped 6.8 percent to 229,000; employment in the service industries including hotels and gaming rose 2.7 percent to 459,600 and the number of government workers increased 3.1 percent to 118,100. Mining posted a decline in jobs of 4.5 percent to 10,500 in the year-to-year comparison.

Construction jobs in the Las Vegas area rose 2.8 percent to 72,600; manufacturing was up 2.9 percent to 24,900; trade jumped 7 percent to 172,100 jobs; the service industries registered a 3 percent gain to 350,500 and government employment was up 4.1 percent to 76,400.

While the statewide and Las Vegas jobless rates rose slightly, unemployment in Washoe County fell from 4 percent in June to 3.7 percent in July with an estimated 6,900 people out of work. Total employment rose to 200,200, up 3.1 percent over last year in Washoe County.

The Carson City area, which includes Douglas, Lyon and Storey counties and Carson City, posted a 4.9 percent jobless rate in July, down from 5.1 percent in June. There were an estimated 2,910 people out of work. Total employment in the area rose 2.5 percent to 56,900.

Elko and Eureka counties reported a decline in unemployment from 6 percent in June to 5.2 percent in July with an estimated 1,120 people out of work. Total employment fell 1.9 percent to 20,420 in these two counties.