North Bay Business Journal

Unemployment rates continue to rise

NORTH BAY — Unemployment rates in the North Bay ticked slightly upward this month, according to statistics released by the Employment Development Department today.

Education jobs throughout the state were scaled back over the summer, and temporary U.S. Census jobs were eliminated in the government sector.

Commentary: Jobs and prosperity

What do voting, jobs and prosperity have in common? It turns out a lot. And as we try to cut the 10.4 percent unemployment that is persisting in Sonoma County, we all can benefit from knowing what those connections are.

Unemployment rates remain high in June, barely changed from May

Unemployment rates for North Bay counties remained high in June and mirrored those for the state and nation, with rates changed less than a half-percentage point from May and some the same as in June 2009, according to state figures released today.

June jobs picture remains bleak

SAUSALITO — Sausalito-based TrimTabs, which accurately forecast very weak job growth for May, estimates the U.S. economy shed 152,000 jobs in June. The investment research firm said private sector hiring remained weak as the Census Bureau laid off 243,000 temporary workers.

Unemployment drops in North Bay, California, U.S.

NORTH BAY — The jobless rate decreased month over month in all North Bay counties in May, though still above 2009 rates for the same period, according to figures released by the Employment Development Department today.

The unemployment rate in Sonoma County was 10.0 percent, down from 10.6 percent in April and up from 9.4 percent in May 2009. In Napa County the rate was 9.0 percent, down from 9.9 percent in April and up from 8.0 percent last May. Marin County had the lowest unemployment rate in the state at 7.9 percent, down from 8.4 percent last month and up only slightly from 7.7 percent in May 2009. Solano County had a drop in joblessness to 11.8 percent from 12.2 percent in April.

Unemployment rates across the North Bay dip in April

NORTH BAY — The jobless rate decreased month over month in all North Bay counties in April, though still above 2009 rates for the same period, according to figures released by the Employment Development Department today.

Staffing firms see seeds of hiring recovery

NORTH BAY — Staffing agencies are reporting an uptick in temporary hiring throughout the North Bay, and those temporary jobs are increasingly becoming permanent, echoing a nationwide trend, according to human resources experts in the North Bay.

Until jobs return, there won’t be a sustainable recovery

In the course of a two-hour meeting last week about important and legitimate community needs, the word “job” was never uttered.

That’s why employment data mentioned here a few weeks ago bears repeating: In October of 2007, the number of jobs in Sonoma County, the employment center of the North Bay, peaked at 200,200. In March, there were 172,400. That means the county has nearly 28,000 fewer jobs today than in 2007 – more than three times what were lost in the tech bust.

Unemployment rose again in March

NORTH BAY — Every North Bay County saw an increase in the unemployment rate in March, with Marin seeing the largest uptick from 8.4 percent in February to 8.8 percent. Sonoma jumped from a revised 11.1 percent in February to 11.3 in March.

North Bay staffing firms see uptick in hiring

NORTH BAY — While unemployment rates remain stubbornly high throughout the state and much of the North Bay, certain sectors are seeing an uptick in hiring, a trend that has evoked some cautious optimism particularly for industrial and manufacturing employers.

North Bay unemployment rates remain high; 11% in Sonoma

NORTH BAY — All North Bay counties saw slight decreases in the unemployment rate last month with the exception of Napa County, which dropped nearly a full point in February.

January unemployment rate jumps in North Bay

NORTH BAY — The unemployment rate in January jumped about a full percentage point in most North Bay counties from December to 11.3 percent in Sonoma, 13.0 percent in Solano, 11.1 percent in Napa, 12.7 percent in Mendocino and 19.6 percent in Lake, according to state figures released this morning.

December unemployment rates remain high

NORTH BAY — Unemployment rates for Marin, Solano and Sonoma counties dropped slightly in December from the previous month, while those for Lake, Mendocino and Napa increased slightly, according to state figures released today.

2009 year of economy, energy

It was a year dominated by a struggling economy that touched virtually everyone.

Brad Bollinger: Outlook for joblessness grows bleaker

The state’s most respected economic forecast has weighed in on the employment outlook for California. It is grim.

November unemployment rate mostly unchanged

NORTH BAY — The November unemployment rates for Sonoma, Marin and Solano counties were virtually unchanged from October, while the jobless rate in that period jumped by about one percentage point in Lake and Napa counties and by six-10ths of a point in Mendocino County, according to state estimates released this morning.

North Bay unemployment continues climb after brief dip in September

NORTH BAY – The encouraging dip in unemployment rates in September did not last as rates increased in the North Bay last month, according to state Employment Development Department reports released today.

North Bay jobless rates rise except Napa; state at 11.9%

NORTH BAY – Unemployment continued to rise, though less dramatically, in all regions of North Bay last month except for Napa where it was stable, according to state Employment Development Department reports.

Sonoma County’s jobless rate crept to 10.3 percent last month, up from 10.2 percent in June and far above a year ago estimate of 6 percent. The state agency calculates the rates according to the number of people actively seeking jobs. The county reported 10,200 fewer jobs last month than the same time last year and a loss of about 2,600 positions between June and July.

Unemployment tops 10% in Sonoma County

NORTH BAY – Unemployment continued to rise in the North Bay last month, breaching 11 percent in some regions, according to state Employment Development Department reports.

Unemployment continues to rise

NORTH BAY — Unemployment continued to climb in most North Bay counties in June, the state Employment Development Department said today.