Baton Rouge unemployment rate jumps to 8.7%

Though the number of people employed in the Baton Rouge metro area rose by about 3,000 between June 2011 and last month, the unemployment rate nonetheless rose 0.3% over the year to 8.7% as of June, according to the latest figures from the Louisiana Workforce Commission. The increase in the unemployment rate is due to the rising number of people joining the labor force. The number of unemployed increased to 33,572 in the Baton Rouge area in June, from 31,883 in June 2011. The number of those with jobs locally rose from 348,950 in June a year ago, to 351,765 last month. The 0.3% year-over-year increase in the unemployment rate is miniscule to the month-over-month increase. In May, Baton Rouge’s unemployment rate was at 7.1%. Louisiana’s unemployment rate in June dipped lower than the local rate, at 8.4%, according to the report. Unemployment rates within each parish included in the Baton Rouge metro area are as follows in June: East Baton Rouge Parish, 8.6%; Ascension, 7.7%; Livingston, 8.2%; East Feliciana, 9.8%; Iberville, 12.3%; Pointe Coupee, 10.9%; St. Helena, 14.1%, West Baton Rouge, 9.1%; and West Feliciana, 10.2%. You can check out the complete June jobs report from the LWC here.