Riverside County’s unemployment rate started the year on the rise, according to the latest information from the California Employment Development Department (EDD). The unemployment rate in January was at 5.5%, up from 5.1% the previous month. This information was released outside of the EDD’s usual publishing schedule due to an ongoing statistical review process conducted in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor. This process, known as benchmarking, is aimed at increasing result accuracy. Once completed, unemployment figures for February will also be released.

January’s rate represented a one percentage point increase from the same month in the previous year, when the unemployment rate was at 4.5%. An estimated 64,300 county residents were jobless in January, with 1,099,800 employed, according to the EDD. The towns of Mecca, Cherry Valley and Coachella had the highest unemployment rates in the county, ranging from 9.9% to 13.3%. Across all industries, the largest drop in employment was seen in the trade and transportation sector, losing 15,500 jobs. This was especially prevalent in the retail industry where many brick-and-mortar stores reduced their staff after the holiday season ended. In total, other sector jobs, including agriculture, construction, finance, and IT, accounted for a decrease of approximately 15,800 jobs in January.

The combined unemployment rate for Riverside and San Bernardino counties, or the Inland Empire, was also 5.5%. The non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the state of California was slightly higher at 5.7%.

For those impacted by the rise in unemployment and needing to claim benefits or make enquiries, the California EDD can provide assistance. To contact the department, you can visit the website via edd.ca.gov and find relevant contact details, including phone numbers. There, you will also find helpful resources such as information on claiming benefits, how to reopen a claim, and general FAQs.