BATON ROUGE – February 2019 data released today by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics shows that seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment increased by 5,900 jobs from February 2018 to 1,980,100. This is the twelfth consecutive month that seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment has added jobs over the year.
Among Louisiana’s Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), seasonally adjusted data for the Shreveport MSA showed a gain of 100 jobs from January 2019. Compared to a year ago, however, this February was a loss of 1,000 jobs.
February 2019 seasonally adjusted private-sector employment increased by 5,400 jobs from February 2018 to 1,653,500. This is also the twelfth consecutive month seasonally adjusted private sector employment has added jobs over the year.
“For the past twelve months, Louisiana’s economy has shown consistent over-the-year improvement as more residents feel confident in the direction our state is heading,” said Louisiana Workforce Commission Secretary Ava Dejoie. “The LWC will continue its efforts until every last job-seeker in Louisiana has found a family-sustaining career, and is able to contribute to both their local community and the state.”
Industries that showed the largest gains for seasonally adjusted jobs:
• Manufacturing gained 2,000 jobs from February 2018 and 900 jobs from January 2019.
• Education and Health Services gained 7,300 jobs from February 2018 and 400 jobs from January 2019. The Education and Health Services sector is at an employment record which is currently totaled at 320,900.
• Trade, Transportation and Utilities gained 600 jobs from February 2018 and 1,700 jobs from January 2019.
• Mining and Logging gained 100 jobs from February 2018, but lost 100 jobs from January 2019.
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.9 percent in February 2019. This is the ninth straight month the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate has not increased.
The seasonally adjusted civilian labor force, or the number of people who are employed in addition to those looking for work, increased by 1,143 from January 2019 to 2,102,555.
The seasonally adjusted number of employed individuals increased by 1,562 from January 2019 to 2,000,261. From January 2019 to February 2019, the number of seasonally adjusted unemployed individuals decreased by 419 to 102,294.
The not seasonally adjusted rate decreased from 5.2 percent to 4.4 percent from January 2019.
Not seasonally adjusted unemployed individuals decreased by 15,425 from January 2019 to 92,074.
The number of not seasonally adjusted employed individuals increased by 20,240 from January 2019 to 1,994,523.
February 2019 not seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment increased by 5,600 jobs to 1,971,100 from February 2018. This is the twelfth straight over-the-year increase for not seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment. From January 2019, not seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment increased by 8,900 jobs.
February 2019 not seasonally adjusted private sector employment increased by 4,600 jobs from February 2018. This is also the twelfth straight over-the-year increase for not seasonally adjusted private sector employment. From January 2019, not seasonally adjusted private sector employment increased by 4,000 jobs to 1,641,400.
