Staff Report
Unemployment rates in the Tri-Parish area and for the state improved in October, according to a Louisiana Workforce Commission report citing federal Bureau of Labor & Statistics.
The decline in the workforce, which includes those people who are employed those seeking jobs, softened in October for the total in St. Landry, Acada and Evangeline parishes.
There was a 1.8 percent reduction in the workforce when comparing this October to October 2016. In September, the workforce had declined 2.8 percent from a year ago.
There were 67,367 people in the Tri-Parish workforce in October compared to 68,609 in October 2016.
October workforce totals included:
— St. Landry Parish, 31,375, down 801 or 2.5 percent from a year ago.
— Acadia Parish, 23,513, down 423 or 1.8 percent from a year ago.
— Evangeline Parish, 12,479, down 18 or 0.14 percent from a year ago.
Tri-Parish jobless rates were:
The St. Landry Parish jobless rate in October was 5.5 percent, down from 6.8 percent in September and 7.9 percent in October 2016.
In Acadia Parish, the unemployment was 5 percent in October, down from 6.1 percent in September and 7.3 percent October 206.
In Evangeline Parish, the October jobless rate was 5 percent, down from 6.1 percent in September and 7.1 percent in October 2016.
Louisiana’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for October dropped to 4.3 percent. This figure is a full percentage point lower from September’s rate of 5.3 percent.
Compared to the same time last year, Louisiana’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 1.6 percent lower. May 2008 was the last time the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was this low.
Not seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment increased to 1,992,000 for October. Not seasonally adjusted private-sector employment increased to 1,667,900 for October.
Monthly data that is not seasonally adjusted does not minimize the changes in any time series which result from normal annual occurrences such as Christmas, summer vacations and weather patterns.
The not-seasonally adjusted civilian labor force increased to 2,009,107. This figure represents the number of people who are employed, in addition to those looking for work.
Ava Dejoie, executive eirector of the Louisiana Workforce Commission, said, “Non-seasonally adjusted data shows that Louisiana gained more than 11,000 jobs.”
Unemployment rates declined in all Louisiana metro areas for the second straight month. Not-seasonally adjusted October unemployment rates for the nine metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) are as follows:
• Alexandria: 4.6 percent, down from 5.8 percent in September and down from 6.1 percent in October 2016.
• Baton Rouge: 3.7 percent, down from 4.5 percent in September and down from 5.1 percent in October 2016.
• Hammond: 4.5 percent, down from 5.8 percent in September and down from 6.3 percent in October 2016.
• Houma: 4.5 percent, down from 5.5 percent in September and down from 6.6 percent in October 2016.
• Lafayette: 4.6 percent, down from 5.6 percent in September and down from 6.9 percent in October 2016.
• Lake Charles: 3.3 percent, down from 4.2 percent in September and down from 4.5 percent in October 2016.
• Monroe: 4.4 percent, down from 5.4 percent in September and down from 5.9 percent in October 2016.
• New Orleans: 4.1 percent, down from 5 percent in September and down from 5.4 percent in October 2016.
• Shreveport: 4.7 percent, down from 5.6 percent in September and down from 6.4 percent in October 2016.