Job growth pace slows slightly

(AP) – Following a gain of 6,900 non-farm jobs in October, Louisiana’s employment picture improved by 42,100 jobs from a year ago, the state labor department reported last Tuesday.

The year-to-year pace, on a non-seasonally adjusted basis, was slightly slower from the previous month, when there were 43,600 more jobs in September than in September 2006.

Of the latest figure, more than a third of the new jobs – 15,600 – came from the New Orleans area, which is still trying to recover from Hurricane Katrina.

The service-providing sector fueled the bulk of the increase, adding 39,200 jobs from October 2006 to last month. The goods-producing sector was up by 2,900 jobs, including 3,600 in the construction sector. Despite record oil prices, the petroleum sector only added 100 jobs, while manufacturing declined by 800 jobs.

In the service sector, the major gains were seen in leisure and hospitality with 9,800 additional jobs; trade transportation and utilities, with 7,300 jobs; educational and health services with 7,100 jobs; state government with 5,100 jobs and local governments with 5,800 jobs.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the state’s unemployment rate was 3.3 percent in October, down from 4.4 percent in September and 4.3 percent in October 2006. The rate was affected by the employment increase, along with a drop of 25,455 in the civilian labor force over the past 12 months.

There were 10,778 new and renewed claims for unemployment compensation in October, compared with 8,811 in September and 9,939 in October 2006. Last month, 1,953 recipients exhausted their jobless benefits, compared with 1,578 in September and 1,835 in October 2006.

Among the state’s metropolitan areas:

– In the New Orleans region, the goods-producing sector gained 1,700 jobs over the past 12 months, while 13,900 were added to the service-providing sector.

– The Baton Rouge area saw an increase of 9,000 jobs over the year, including 7,100 in the service-providing sector and 1,900 in the goods-producing sector.

– The Lafayette area gained 200 goods-producing jobs and 2,300 in the service-providing sector for a total of 2,500 non-farm jobs.

– The Lake Charles area gained 1,600 jobs from October to October, all but 100 in the service-providing sector.

– Houma-Thibodaux gained 3,300 jobs over the year, 1,200 in the goods-producing sector and 2,100 in the service-providing sector.

– Shreveport-Bossier City put together a gain of 3,500 non-farm jobs over the past 12 months, with 3,300 of those coming in the service-providing sector.

– Alexandria saw its non-farm employment rise by 800 over the year – 300 in the goods-producing sector and 500 in the service-providing sector.

– Monroe gained only 100 jobs over the 12-month period, losing 300 goods-producing jobs and gaining 400 service-providing jobs.