The California Employment Development Department (EDD) has reported a fifth-month increase in unemployment rates in Stanislaus and Merced Counties. California currently has the highest unemployment rate in the nation at 5.6%, which equals over 1,027,000 jobless individuals. Among these, 19,400 are from Stanislaus County and 14,500 from Merced County. Stanislaus County experienced a slight increase in unemployment rate from 7.7% in January to 7.8% in February. In contrast, Merced County saw a higher increase from 11% in January to 11.9% last month.

The Central Valley cities of Turlock, Hughson, Hilmar, Denair, and Keyes had the most significant number of unemployed individuals. In response to the job decrease, several industries namely, wholesale trade, retail trade, transportation, utilities, and warehousing each lost around 100 workers in Stanislaus County. Similarly, the state government education, private services, and transportation and utilities sectors in Merced County lost about 100 workers each.

However, the healthcare and social assistance sectors remain the primary employers in both counties. As it stands, there are 1,299 job postings in these sectors in Stanislaus County, and 354 active listings in Merced County. Retail follows closely with 785 openings in Stanislaus County and another 251 in Merced County.

One of the resources available for those seeking employment is www.edd.ca.gov/en/jobs. For individuals needing assistance or inquiring about unemployment benefits, it might be challenging to get a hold of EDD customer service. Eddcaller.com could prove helpful in such situations, as it offers insights and tips on the fastest way to get through to EDD. Furthermore, it provides resources that can guide you on how to contact a live person at EDD California, an essential factor for many when dealing with employment-related issues.