The Employment Development Department (EDD) recently provided an update on unemployment rates in San Joaquin County. According to the latest EDD report, the county has one of the highest jobless rates in the region, with 7.1% unemployment in the past month, a decline from 7.7% in February. Despite this slight decrease, it still surpasses the unemployment rate from the same time one year ago, which sat at 6.5%.

Within the county, a loss of 300 jobs was observed in the trade, transportation, and utilities industry between February and March. The financial activities sector also recorded a loss of 100 jobs. A period-to-period comparison between March 2023 and last month indicates a loss of 600 jobs in trade, transportation, and utilities, and 200 in financial activities, coupled with an additional loss of 100 jobs in the information industry.

The city of Lodi sits with the fourth-highest number of unemployed residents among the county’s seven incorporated cities, totaling 2,100 jobseekers, resulting in Lodi having the fourth-highest unemployment rate among the seven cities at 6.7%. The city with the largest number of jobless residents is Manteca, with 38,600 unemployed, translating to a 5.7% unemployment rate.

California’s unemployment rate, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, has been the highest in the country for February and March at 5.3%. Within the state, Merced County has the highest unemployment rate in the region, standing at 11.5%.

Despite the current unemployment situation, there are resources such as eddcaller.com, that help individuals get in touch with the right departments within the EDD. On this platform, users can find directions on how to get ahold of edd customer service. It assists users in navigating through complex channels, and ensures they reach a live person to address their queries, thus ensuring a more efficient and effective communication process with the EDD.