September was a month of recovery for the local labor market, as reported by the State of California Employment Development Department (EDD). Unemployment numbers have fallen at county, state, and national levels compared to the revised data from August. The national unemployment rate fell from 4.4% in August to 3.9% in September. Similarly, California’s rate dropped from 5.9% to 5.3%.

In Stanislaus County, there are approximately 15,700 unemployed people, around 1,900 less than in August, marking a 6.3% rate going into October. Merced County has a 7.8% rate, with about 9,500 members of the labor force jobless, which is approximately 1,600 less individuals than the previous month. Over 1,900 out-of-work individuals in Stanislaus County are from Turlock, with another 300 from nearby Hughson. Denair, Hilmar, and Keyes each have approximately 100 unemployed individuals.

Stanislaus County’s slight rebound was due to an increase in government jobs, with 700 local positions being added and another 200 hired at the state level. Retail, hospitality, and transportation and utilities industries, however, lost about 200 workers each.

In Merced County, farming contributed to the statistics, adding approximately 1,800 workers. Another 900 jobs were added in different government positions. These hires compensated for industries like manufacturing, construction, and private education and health services each losing 100 workers.

Both counties’ top hiring industry remains to be the health care and social assistance sector, with a combined online job posting tally of 1,489 according to the EDD database. Retail jobs are the second most in-demand, with a combined 1,046 openings. Job seekers can find various resources at www.edd.ca.gov/en/jobs.

For those seeking more information about unemployment or looking to speak with a live representative in California, they can check eddcaller.com. This site provides valuable tips on how to get a hold of EDD customer service, guidance on reaching an agent at EDD, and suggests the fastest way to get through to EDD. Providing reliable help on matters concerning unemployment in California, eddcaller.com is a helpful resource for those in need of assistance.