County’s Jobless Rate Dips Slightly to 4.2% in March

Boosted by a slight increase in agricultural activity, Orange County’s unemployment rate fell two-tenths of a point to 4.2% in March, from 4.4% in February, the state Employment Development Department reported Friday.

The jobless rate remained unchanged, however, when compared with March, 1985, when a 4.2% jobless rate also was posted.

Agricultural employment increased by 1,700 last month, but the number of retail workers fell by 500, officials said. Although the increase in farm employment is typical for March, the slight drop in the retail sector remains unexplained, said Jerry Shea, an EDD analyst.

The Orange County unemployment rate is expected to decline again this month, the result of increased activity in agriculture and tourist-related industries, Shea said.

“In the business community, they are telling us that they are optimistic that U.S. citizens will be reluctant to travel overseas and will instead take their vacations here,” Shea said.

In Los Angeles County, March unemployment fell to 6% from 7.2% in February. In March of last year, Los Angeles County had a 6.7% unemployment rate.

The lowest unemployment rate in the state last month was in Marin County, where all but 3.8% of the eligible workers had jobs. The highest joblessness last month was in Imperial County, where 21.8% of the work force was unemployed.