Jobless Rate

Unemployment continued to fall in the Tri-parishes during February, reaching 2.5 percent in Houma.

According to the state labor department, Lafourche Parish tied with Lafayette in achieving Louisiana’s lowest jobless numbers at 2.4 percent. East Carroll Parish posted the highest unemployment rate at 9.3 percent.

Across the state, figures dropped in February. “One of the most compelling results in the (latest jobless report) is that the unemployment rate dropped in every parish over the month,” Secretary of Labor John Warner Smith said in a release.

Houma’s rate fell from 2.9 percent in January to 2.5 in February.

The number of nonfarm jobs in Louisiana grew by 5,700 in February, according to figures posted on state labor department Web site.

The preliminary, seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment firgure was 1,899,000 compared to 1,893,300 for January, when the state marked a post-holiday season loss of more than 17,000 jobs.

The state has added 75,000 nonfarm jobs between February 2006 and February 2007, bringing the number of nonfarm workers employed in the state to 1,899,000, the labor department said. The total of nonfarm jobs is still down from pre-Katrina days. In February of 2005, the total was 1,917,800.

Louisiana’s civilian labor force, the number of people working and seeking work for February, increased to 1,999,030, from 1,996,573, in January.

A detailed report can be viewed at www.LAWORKS.net on the Labor Market Information link.