BATON ROUGE – According to data released Friday, April 20, Louisiana’s not seasonally adjusted nonfarm job sector added 12,500 jobs from March 2017 to 1,982,800.
This is the sixth straight over-the-year increase. From February 2018, not seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment increased by 13,900 jobs. This is the largest over-the-month gain for the month of March since 2010.
Not seasonally adjusted March unemployment rates for the Shreveport metropolitan statistical area (MSA) was up .5 percent to 4.7 percent, from 4.2 percent in February. However, it is down over the year from 5.7 percent from March 2017.
The not seasonally adjusted private sector added 15,300 jobs from March 2017 to 1,655,800. Private sector employment is defined as nonfarm employment minus government jobs. The not seasonally adjusted private sector has also added jobs over the year for six straight months. From February 2018, the private sector added 15,100 jobs.
From March 2017, the number of not seasonally adjusted employed individuals increased by 52,373 to 2,046,339. From February 2018, the number of not seasonally adjusted employed individuals showed an increase of 3,204. From March 2017, the number of not seasonally adjusted unemployed individuals decreased by 18,600 to 92,757.
From March 2017, the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased 1.0 percent to 4.3 percent.
“Gaining 13,900 not seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs, the largest over-the-month gain for the month of March since 2010, is a significant indicator of the positive direction in which our job market is heading,” said Ava Dejoie, Executive Director of the Louisiana Workforce Commission. “This also highlights the reality that as the supply of skilled worker tightens and jobs become more technical, it is important that workers and job-seekers continue their focus on developing their skills through workforce development programs such as the LWC’s Registered Apprenticeship and Incumbent Worker Training Program.”
The not seasonally adjusted civilian labor force, or the number of people who are employed in addition to those looking for work, increased by 33,773 from March 2017 to 2,139,096. From February 2018, the not seasonally adjusted civilian labor force increased by 10,309.
