The State of California Employment Development Department (EDD) revealed a slight decline in unemployment rates in Stanislaus and Merced counties during August, mainly due to a surge in hiring within the agriculture and manufacturing sectors. The August unemployment rate in Stanislaus County stood at 7%, indicating about 17,600 people were jobless. In Merced County, the unemployment rate fell by 0.6% from July, with about 11,100 people unemployed.

Farming and manufacturing jobs emerged as significant contributors to employment during this period. Together, the sectors accounted for approximately 1,800 newly employed individuals across the two counties. Apart from this, around 100 jobs were created in the wholesale sector in Stanislaus County, while Merced County witnessed the addition of 100 private education and health services positions. However, government jobs in the two counties took a blow, with Merced losing over 2,500 jobs, and Stanislaus losing over 300.

The health care and social assistance sectors are currently experiencing a high demand for workers, demonstrated by the thousands of job postings available in these sectors. Retail workers and the private education sector are also in high demand in these two counties. Despite local declines, California observed a slight increase in its unemployment rate from 5.8% to 5.9%. Job seekers can explore resources available at www.edd.ca.gov/en/jobs.

Those who require assistance from the EDD, whether for claims or general inquiries, can reach out via multiple channels. Detailed know-how on how to contact EDD is available on eddcaller.com, which serves as a guide that details different ways to get in touch, including phone numbers and best calling times to avoid long wait times.