Job-ready individuals to meet employers

During August, the national employment picture showed zero jobs added in all categories watched by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Louisiana Workforce Commission notes it was also a month when the Bayou State listed notable improvements from both the previous month and same time in 2010, with unemployment declining in eight metropolitan statistical areas.

Leading the list, and holding one of the lowest unemployment levels in the nation, is the Houma-Thibodaux MSA where the unemployment level was at 4.9 percent during the eighth month of the year. This is a drop from the previously reported July level of 5.4 percent and an unemployment level of 5.8 percent in August 2010.

St. Mary Parish and Morgan City, which are not part of an MSA, listed an unemployment level of 8.8 percent, which was down from 9.6 percent the previous month and 9.7 percent one year earlier.

During August, the U.S. unemployment rate remained at 9.1 percent and Louisiana was listed at 7.3 percent. One year earlier the U.S. unemployment level was reported to be 9.5 percent and Louisiana posted a level of 8.2 percent. Unemployment levels from August 2010 to August of this year for other Louisiana MSAs include:

_ Lafayette at 5.6 percent, down from 6.5 percent

_ Lake Charles at 6.6 percent, down from 7.7 percent

_ Shreveport at 6.7 percent, down from 7.8 percent

_ Alexandria at 6.9 percent, down from 7.9 percent

_ New Orleans at 7.3 percent, down from 8.2 percent

_ Baton Rouge at 7.6 percent, down from 8.3 percent

_ Monroe at 7.7 percent, down from 8.6 percent

A separate BLS survey listed Louisiana employers as having added 1,600 seasonally adjusted non-farm jobs in August, which brought total employed in the state to 1.9 million. This was an increase of approximately 30,000 jobs since August 2010. At the same time, private industry sectors cut 600 jobs between July and August and added approximately 37,100 positions from 12 months earlier.

At the MSA level, Lafayette added the most jobs between July and August for a gain of approximately 1,500 workers. New Orleans had the largest year-to-date gain with an increase of approximately 10,500 jobs.

“Our steady improving unemployment rate and over-the-year job growth, particularly in the private sector, are positive signs for our state,” LWC Executive Director Curt Eysink said.

Unemployment statistics are based on filings for unemployment insurance claims and do not reflect those individuals that may have dropped out of the system, never filed or are otherwise considered self-employed but have not been actively working.

Along with releasing new unemployment figures, the LWC began operating with new office hours on Monday. Unemployment insurance claim centers are now taking calls between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Officials say the extended time allows for the processing of more claims during peak hours.

The claims centers assist individuals filing for unemployment insurance benefits and include new filings, renewed and extended benefit claims and accessing information about filing claims.

In addition to expanded claim center hours, LWC services are available at any time on the agency’s website at www.laworks.net.