Jobless rate declines in December

Monday, Jan. 26, 2004 | 10:52 a.m.

Unemployment in Nevada during the holiday shopping month of December fell to 4.4 percent from 4.5 percent in November, and was five-tenths of a percentage point lower than the same month in 2002, the state reported today.

There were an estimated 47,300 people out of work in December, down from the 53,000 in the same month of 2002.

The state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation said the 4.4 percent was lower than the national 5.7 percent and California's 6.4 percent.

The Las Vegas metropolitan statistical area, which includes Clark and Nye counties and Mohave County in Arizona, reported a 4.4 percent jobless rate compared to 4.6 percent in November and 5 percent in December 2002. There were an estimated 38,000 people out of work compared to 44,100 in 2002.

Employment reached 830,200 in the Las Vegas area, an increase of 33,600 workers or 4.2 percent from December 2002, said the department.

Myla Florence, director of the department, said that while casino hotels and gaming provide nearly 20 percent of all jobs in Nevada, only 5 percent of new jobs in 2003 were attributed to that sector.