SAN DIEGO (CNS) - San Diego County's unemployment rate dropped to 4.1 percent last month despite seasonal cutbacks in leisure and hospitality jobs, the state Employment Development Department reported Friday.
The rate in September in San Diego compared with 4.7 percent in August, and 4.6 percent in September 2016, the EDD said. The seasonally unadjusted rate in California last month was 4.7 percent, while the national rate was 4.1 percent.
The agency reported that for the month, the arts, entertainment, and recreation sector lost 1,800 positions, while 1,400 jobs were cut in accommodation and food services.
The losses were made up for by local government education hiring of 5,300 people as the school year began.
Local government education also led the way in annual hiring with 2,500 new jobs, according to the EDD. Gains were also seen in local religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations, up 2,100; and personal and laundry services, up 2,100.
Construction also saw large job gains, with 2,600 new specialty contractors and 1,200 positions in building construction, while 2,200 new jobs were created in real estate and leasing.
Job losses were seen over the past year in administrative and support services, 1,600; and professional, scientific and technical services, 1,300.
In September, 64,800 San Diegans were without work out of a civilian labor force of 1.59 million people. The total number of unemployed was 8,100 fewer than the same month last year, the EDD said.
