Though the construction sector was flat and manufacturing lost jobs, Louisiana’s unemployment rate in December ticked down to 6.1% on gains in education and health services, the Louisiana Workforce Commission announced today.
The state’s unemployment rate is down from 6.3% in November and 7.2% in December 2014. LWC says the education and health services sectors collectively added 2,400 jobs between November and December, and 10,100 jobs total in 2015. Total employment in those sectors as of the end of last year was roughly 311,600, which LWC says is the highest level since the current U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment tracking system was put in place in 1990.
“The growth of jobs in the health care and education fields is helping Louisiana to weather the drop in oil prices,” says LWC Executive Director Ava Dejoie in a prepared release. “While oil prices are still low and it’s too soon to say when we may see an upturn in employment, the growth of family-sustaining jobs in health care and education is an encouraging sign for Louisiana.”
Louisiana lost 100 jobs in the mining and logging sector, which includes oil and gas, between November and December. However, over the year, the state lost 9,900 jobs as oil prices slumped sharply and companies cut back on operations. Mining and logging sector employment remains at the lowest level since the BLS tracking system began in 1990.
The construction sector was flat between November and December, but added 6,000 jobs in 2015, while manufacturing lost 1,500 jobs on the month and was down 4,400 jobs on the year.
“Low oil prices may be a factor in the decline,” LWC says of the manufacturing figures.
The Baton Rouge metro area added 200 jobs between November and December, for a total of 407,900 jobs at the end of last year. Year-over-year, Baton Rouge gained 8,800 jobs.
