Douglas jobless rate third highest in state

At 14.8 percent, Douglas County has the the third highest unemployment rate in Nevada

The county's jobless numbers took another jump upward in November, according to data released Friday by the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation.

The state reported 3,310 people were unemployed in November, up from 3,160 in October.

Douglas County's total labor force was 22,330 in November, up 100 from October. Of those, 19,020 were employed during the month, down 50 workers from October. The combination of increasing workforce size and decreased employment combined for a 14.8 percent unemployment rate, up from 14.2 percent in October.

Douglas continues to follow Lyon County with 17.5 percent unemployment and Nye County with 16.3 percent.

Statewide, the unemployment rate reached 14.3 percent.

"Following October's decline, the first in many years, the unemployment rate only ticked up one- tenth of a percent," said Bill Anderson, chief economist for the department. "Since June, the unemployment rate has hovered in the range of 14.2 to 14.4 percent. In the two previous years, 2008 and 2009, the rate jumped 1.6 and 1.0 percentage points, respectively, over the same time frame. The stabilizing unemployment rate indicates that the worst of the recession is over. However, the unemployment rate will likely remain elevated well into 2011 before declining slowly over a number of years."

Statewide, employers shed roughly 2,500 jobs between October and November. The leisure and hospitality industry cut 2,900 positions, while the construction industry shed 1,500. For the first time since February 1995, construction employment fell below 60,000 jobs in Nevada. Employment in the manufacturing

industry continues to contract, falling by 400 to 37,800. Since peaking in September 2006, manufacturing employment has fallen by 13,500 or 26.3 percent. A number of industries showed improvement in November. Retail trade added 1,300 jobs, and is up by over 4,000 since the start of the year. Professional and business services increased by 900 and education and health services added 500.

Since 2006, employment in Nevada's casino gaming sector fell from 216,886 to 188,020 in 2009, while employment increased by 14,000 in all other states over the same time frame. In that time, Nevada's share of all casino jobs in the U.S. fell from 36.2 percent to 32.2 percent. Nevada's economic fortunes are tied to casino-gaming like no other state. While gaming spreads across the country, only time will tell if Nevada can benefit from gaming's growing popularity.

U.S. Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev., said he was troubled by unemployment in the state.

"I continue to be deeply troubled by the persistent unemployment in Nevada and the many families that are struggling to pay their bills and keep their homes. It is no secret that job creation is the key to turning our economy around. Businesses need stability to thrive and create jobs - that starts with keeping taxes low and controlling government spending. While not a solution to all our economic problems, last night's vote was a step in the right direction. As we move forward to next year, I will work with Republican leadership to institute pro-growth policies to get our economy back on track," said Heller.