Louisiana’s jobless rate again inches higher

Louisiana’s unemployment rate ticked up slightly for the second straight month in March—to 7.1%—as 2,800 more workers joined the jobless ranks. The seasonally adjusted rate reported this morning by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics rose from 7% in February, and 6.9% in January. The number of those listed as unemployed rose to 147,100 last month, from 144,300 in February and 141,900 in January. Louisiana’s labor force—those working and actively seeking work—saw a February-to-March increase of 4,100. In March of last year, Louisiana’s unemployment rate was 7.5% with 155,800 jobless workers. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the government said Louisiana gained 2,100 jobs in March and 44,000 over 12 months. Without seasonal adjustments, the gain was 10,500 in March and 60,000 for the year. Across the United States, fewer states reported job gains last month, reflecting a slower pace of hiring nationwide. The Labor Department says 29 states reported job gains in March, while 20 states lost jobs. That’s worse than February, when 42 states added jobs. Still, the unemployment rate fell in most states in March, with 30 states reporting lower rates and just eight reporting increases. Rates were unchanged in 12 states. Nationwide, the unemployment rate fell to 8.2% in March from 8.3%. But employers added only 120,000 jobs, half the pace of the previous three months.