Jobless rate stays near low

Monday, Jan. 24, 2005 | 10:42 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Unemployment in Nevada in December inched up to 3.8 percent with an estimated 43,400 persons out of work, but it was still near the record low set in October.

The state Department of Employment, Training & Rehabilitation reported today the 3.8 percent compares with 3.7 percent in November and 4.7 percent in December 2003. And it is near the record low of 3.6 percent set in October 2004.

Gov. Kenny Guinn said, "Nevada's economy had a very good year in 2004. Employment grew by more than 53,000 and the unemployment rate ended the year nearly a full percentage point lower than a year ago."

Nevada's jobless rate was lower than the national 5.4 percent and California's 5.8 percent.

Total employment in December reached 1,169,000 or a gain of 4.8 percent compared with the same month of 2003. And there were 53,700 more workers employed in December than in 2003. There were 1,500 more workers on the job than in November.

Birgit Baker, director of the department, said "Holiday season retail hiring helped maintain the state's impressive 4.8 percent employment growth, despite the usual seasonal slowdown in construction." She said the retail industry added 6,000 jobs in November and December.

The department reported the Las Vegas Metropolitan Statistical area that includes Clark and Nye counties and Arizona's Mohave County fell to 3.5 percent, down from 3.6 percent in November. And it was down from the 4.5 percent recorded in December 2003.

There were an estimated 33,800 out of work in December in the Las Vegas area.

Total employment in the Las Vegas area reached 885,500, up 5.3 percent from a year ago and a gain of 44,600 workers. There were 1,200 more workers on the job in December than in November.

The department said statewide the number of construction workers on the job dropped from 117,300 in November to 116,100 in December. But it was still 11.7 percent higher than in December 2003.

Employment in casinos and hotels reported 206,300 working, the same as in November and a 0.9 percent gain over December 2003. Jobs in retail trade statewide in December reached 135,200, up from 132,800 in November and a 5.1 percent increase over a year ago.

Employment statewide in professional and business services reported an 8.3 percent increase to 134,500 in December compared with a year ago. But it was down from November that posted 135,400 on the job in this category.

The department said government employment reached 145,200, up about 400 jobs from November and a 3.9 percent increase over December of 2003.