Nevada jobless rate inches up in June

Monday, July 19, 2004 | 11:10 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The unemployment rate inched up to 4.2 percent in June in Nevada with an estimated 52,900 jobless, or 9,800 more than in May.

The state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation reported today the rate compared to 4.1 percent in May and was much lower than the 5.6 percent national average and the 6.2 percent in California.

Gov. Kenny Guinn said, "Nevada's economy continued to add jobs in June, despite the usual decline in state and local government employment that traditionally marks the end of the school year."

He said the private sector produced 5,300 jobs during the month and the construction industry added 1,800 of those jobs.

Total employment for June reached 1,132,400, up 4.5 percent from a year ago.

The jobless rate in the Las Vegas area, which includes Clark and Nye counties and Mohave County in Arizona, jumped to 4.5 percent, up from the 3.7 percent in May. There were an estimated 42,300 people out of work compared to 34,700 in May. But that is still below the June 2003 figure of 53,100.

Total employment in the Las Vegas area reached 853,700, up 4.8 percent from a year ago.

Birgit Baker, director of the department said, "Although the state's major labor market had the usual June increase in unemployment, job growth remained robust. The two metropolitan areas reported job growth of more than 4 percent over the year. That translates to 48,700 new jobs since June 2003."

The department said that statewide, 111,600 people were working in the construction industry, up 10.9 percent from a year ago; manufacturing grew 4.4 percent to 45,500 jobs; employment in casinos and hotels inched up 0.8 percent to 207,600 statewide and trade, transportation and utilities gained 4.1 percent to 200,800 employed. Government employment grew 2.3 percent to 136,800; education and health services reported a gain of 5.6 percent to 79,200 jobs and professional and business services registered a 7.5 percent gain over the same month of 2003 to 127,000 people on the job.

The Las Vegas-area employment breakdown showed a growth of 10.3 percent in construction to 89,200 workers; casinos and hotels had 161,000 employed, up 1.8 percent from a year ago; manufacturing was up 5.5 percent to 26,700 and trade, transportation and utilities reported 150,800, up 4.7 percent.

The department said government employment in the Las Vegas market rose 2.4 percent to 89,800; education and health services were up 5.7 percent to 59,400 and professional and business services jumped 6.5 percent to 96,800.

Washoe County registered a 3.8 percent jobless rate in June, up from the 3.3 percent in May. There were an estimated 8,000 people out of work. Total employment reached 207,700, up 4.2 percent from a year ago.

The department said unemployment in the Carson City area that includes Carson City, Douglas, Lyon and Storey counties rose from 4.5 percent in May to 5.1 percent in June with 3,260 out of work. Total employment rose to 60,990, up 7.5 percent.

Elko and Eureka counties posted a 4.1 percent unemployment rate, up from 3.6 percent in May. There were an estimated 910 people out of work. Total employment rose 5.9 percent to 21,390 compared to a year ago.