Employment up 17,900 Recent Jobs and up 46,100 this Year

The unemployment rate in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA was 6.1 percent in November 2015, down from a revised 6.3 percent in October 2015, and below the year-ago estimate of 7.6 percent. This compares with an un-adjusted unemployment rate of 5.7 percent for California and 4.8 percent for the nation during the same period. The unemployment rate was 6.2 percent in Riverside County, and 5.9 percent in San Bernardino County. Between October 2015 and November 2015, total nonfarm employment increased from 1,349,400 to 1,367,300, a gain of 17,900 jobs. Agricultural employment grew by 600 jobs. Trade, transportation, and utilities reported the greatest month-over gain, adding 12,600 jobs. Retail trade (up 9,200) accounted for 73 percent of the overall job growth in this sector, primarily from general merchandise stores (up 3,900) and clothing and clothing accessories stores (up 2,400). Transportation, warehousing, and utilities gained 3,400 jobs and wholesale trade reported no change over the month. Other industries posting significant job gains were leisure and hospitality (up 5,300) and government (up 2,700). Construction recorded the greatest loss of employment over the month, down 2,600 jobs. Specialty trade contractors (down 2,200) accounted for almost 85 percent of the job loss in this sector. Construction of buildings and heavy and civil engineering construction lost 200 jobs each. Between November 2014 and November 2015, total nonfarm employment increased by 46,100 jobs. Agricultural employment grew by 200 jobs over the year. Trade, transportation, and utilities experienced the most gains in employment over the year, adding 9,800 jobs. Wholesale trade and retail trade gained 3,400 jobs each over the year. Transportation, warehousing, and utilities grew by 3,000 over the year. Eight other industries reported job gains over the year. The most notable gain was in professional and business services (up 8,400), led by a surge in administrative and support and waste services (up 5,700). Professional, scientific, and technical services gained 2,500 jobs, and management of companies and enterprises gained 200 jobs over the year. Mining and logging was the only sector that reported a job loss over the year (down 200). Information reported no change over the year.