Nevada jobless rate increases

Wednesday, May 23, 2001 | 11:17 a.m.

SUN CAPITAL BUREAU

CARSON CITY -- Unemployment in Nevada rose to 4.9 percent in April with 48,900 people out of work, the state reported today.

The state Department of Employment Training and Rehabilitation said the Nevada rate was higher than the 3.9 percent of the same month of a year ago and higher than the national average of 4.5 percent in April.

California's jobless rate reached 4.8 percent in April.

Department Director Myla Florence said, "Despite national job growth numbers falling to a 10-year low, Nevada's job growth continues to be respectable."

"Nevada usually lags behind much of the rest of the nation when economic downturns happen. Our economists anticipate a less than spectacular summer for the state's economy as a whole, but nothing dramatic enough to end our job growth," she said.

Total employment statewide reached 1,064,200, a 4.9 percent increase from a year ago.

The jobless rate in the Las Vegas Metropolitan Statistical Area that includes Clark and Nye counties and Mohave County in Arizona, rose to 4.8 percent, up from 3.9 percent of a year ago. There were an estimated 37,900 people out of work.

Total employment in the Las Vegas area rose 5.5 percent to 785,400 workers, compared to a year ago.

The department reported the April statewide jobs report showed increases in all categories except mining, which declined by 2.8 percent from a year ago to 10,500 workers.

Construction employment grew 3.8 percent statewide to 89,600 workers; manufacturing was up 5.3 percent to 46,000 employees; trade jumped by 7.7 percent to 225,300 employees; the service industries -- which include hotels and gaming -- inched up 3.5 percent to 455,600 employees and government jobs rose 4.7 percent to 128,900.

In the Las Vegas area, construction employment reached 71,300, up 4.5 percent from a year ago; manufacturing employment totaled 25,000, up 3.3 percent; trade employment grew to 170,100, up 8.8 percent; the service industries reported 350,000 employed, up 3.9 percent and government employment reached 85,100, an increase of 6.2 percent.

The department reported Washoe County unemployment at 4 percent, up from 2.9 percent of a year ago. There were 7,200 people out of work. Total employment rose to 197,300, up 3.2 percent from a year ago.

Unemployment in the Carson City area rose to 5.5 percent compared to 4.4 percent of a year ago. There were 3,100 unemployed last month. The area includes Carson City and Douglas, Lyon and Storey counties.

Elko and Eureka counties reported a jobless rate of 6.3 percent, up from 4.6 percent in April 2000. There were 1,300 unemployed last month.