News from the State of California

Rancho Cucamonga, CA: The unemployment rate in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA was 13.4 percent in July 2020, down from a revised 14.3 percent in June 2020, and above the year-ago estimate of 4.6 percent. This compares with an unadjusted unemployment rate of 13.7 percent for California and 10.5 percent for the nation during the same period. The unemployment rate was 13.7 percent in Riverside County, and 13.1 percent in San Bernardino County.

Between June 2020 and July 2020, total nonfarm employment decreased from 1,393,400 to 1,385,400, a loss of 8,000 jobs. Agricultural employment decreased 200 jobs (down 1.3 percent).

• Government registered job losses amounting to 16,800. The total amount of jobs in local government receded by 16,800 with the majority of the loss allocated in local government (public) educational services (down 17,100), with local government excluding educational services (up 300) counterbalancing the total. State (down 100) and federal government (up 100) reported mixed results.

• Construction logged 1,500 fewer jobs over the month. Specialty trade contractors (down 900), heavy and civil engineering construction (down 500), and construction of buildings (down 100) saw reductions in the total number of jobs. Other services noted a job drop of 700 over the month.
• Trade, transportation, and utilities (up 4,200) recorded the largest payroll gain moth-over. Retail trade (up 4,900) accounted for the majority of the job boost, followed by wholesale trade (up 500). Within retail trade, clothing and clothing accessories stores added 3,300 jobs. Transportation, warehousing, and utilities (down 1,200) reduced the overall total.

• Educational and health services (up 2,900), professional and business services (up 1,800), leisure and hospitality (up 1,100), financial activities (up 600), manufacturing (up 300), and information (up 100) posted job gains over the month. Mining and logging were unchanged month-over.

Between July 2019 and July 2020, nonfarm employment decreased by 144,700 jobs (down 9.5 percent). Agricultural employment declined by 2,100 jobs (down 12.1 percent).

• Leisure and hospitality (down 54,400), registered the largest employment decrease over the year. Most of the job reduction was concentrated in accommodation and food services (down 49,200). Both, food services and drinking places (down 40,500) and accommodation (down 8,700), logged job losses over the year. Arts, entertainment, and recreation contracted by 5,200 jobs.

• Trade, transportation, and utilities reported 21,900 fewer jobs year-over. Retail trade (down 18,100) and transportation, warehousing, and utilities (down 3,800) recorded payroll cuts over the year. Wholesale trade remained unchanged over the year.

• Year-over job losses were noted in government (down 21,500), other services (down 10,900), professional and business services (down 10,300), manufacturing (down 10,000), construction (down 6,300), educational and health services (down 5,800), information (down 2,100), financial activities (down 1,400), and mining and logging (down 100).