North Bay unemployment rates drop in April, rise in California

THE NORTH BAY BUSINESS JOURNAL

May 19, 2023

Some North Bay layoffs in the past 12 months

RH, the luxury furniture company based in Corte Madera, in March announced it was laying off 440 workers, with 58 of them being at its headquarters. These take place May 24.

Drone maker AeroVironment laid off 62 of its 120 employees in Petaluma the first week of May.

BJ’s Restaurant in San Rafael, which had 90 employees, closed in April.

Bed, Bath and Beyond, which had locations in Santa Rosa, Larkspur, Vallejo and Vacaville, will close all of its locations by the end of June. The number of North Bay workers affected is not known.

San Rafael-based BioMarin Pharmaceutical last fall announced it was laying off 62 people at its headquarters and another 32 in Novato. Worldwide it cut 120 employees, or 4% of its staff.

NorthBay Health last summer laid off 99 workers in Vacaville and 90 in Fairfield.

Alza Corporation, a pharmaceutical and medical systems company, let go 28 workers at its Vacaville site last summer.

Software company Autodesk closed its San Rafael headquarters in October, where 578 people worked.

Tree and debris removal company Wilhelm at the first of the year laid off 274 workers in Petaluma.

Sonoma Media Investments, parent company to the Business Journal, eliminated 20 positions, or 10% of the workforce, in April. Eight of the 20 jobs were eliminated through attrition.

Sources: California Employment Development Department, North Bay Business Journal

Unemployment rates in April dropped across all six North Bay counties, while California’s rate rose slightly last month to 4.5% from 4.4% in March, according to state figures released Friday.

As is typical, Marin County’s 2.8% unemployment rate in April was the lowest in the North Bay region, according to the state Employment Development Department. Sonoma and Napa counties followed, both reporting unemployment rates of 3.2%. Solano County’s unemployment rate last month was 4.2%, while Mendocino County’s rate was 4.6%. Lake County reported the highest rate in the region, at 5.4%.

For the second consecutive month, job gains across California were in the private education and health services sector, particularly in individual and family services. The most gains in the sector in March were in dentistry, according to the department.

The most notable month-over-month drop in job opportunities was in the mining and logging sector, the agency reported.

Marin County

The unemployment rate in Marin County was 2.8% in April, down from a revised 3.1% in March. The county’s unemployment rate in April 2022 was 2.4%.

The county added jobs in construction; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; private education and health services; leisure and hospitality; and government. Fewer jobs were available in financial activities, and professional and business services.

Sonoma County

The unemployment rate in Sonoma County was 3.2% in April, down from a revised 3.6% in March. The county’s unemployment rate in April 2022 was 2.9%.

The county in April added jobs in construction; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; financial activities; professional and business services; private education and health services; and leisure and hospitality. There were fewer jobs available in government.

Napa County

The unemployment rate in Napa County was 3.2% in April, down from a revised 3.7% in March. The county’s unemployment rate last year in April was 3%.

The county in April added jobs in manufacturing; financial activities; private education and health services; and leisure and hospitality. Fewer jobs were available in government, and trade, transportation and utilities.

Solano County

The unemployment rate in Solano County was 4.2% in April, down from a revised 4.8% in March. In April 2022, the county’s rate was 4%.

The county added jobs in construction; manufacturing; professional and business services; private education and health services; and leisure and hospitality. There was no reduction in jobs in the other sectors.

Mendocino County

The county’s unemployment rate in April was 4.6%, down from a revised 5.3% in March. Last year in April, the county’s unemployment rate was 4%.

The county added jobs in state government, and mining, logging and construction. Fewer jobs were available in construction; manufacturing; trade, transportation, warehousing and utilities; retail; financial activities; professional and business services; private education and health services; leisure and hospitality; and local government.

Lake County

The county’s unemployment rate in April was 5.4%, down from a revised 6.4% in March. Last year in April, Lake County’s unemployment rate was 4.6%.

The county in April added jobs in state government. Fewer jobs were available in manufacturing; trade, transportation, warehousing and utilities; retail; private education and health services; and local government.