Unemployment Still Rising Slowly

If you’ve driven around Bakersfield, you’ve probably seen signs on business wall, and fences advertising they are hiring, so it appears that there are jobs available. But in spite of what our eyes may tell us, based on the number of people filing for unemployment benefits, unemployment is growing.

Currently, the U.S. Labor Department says 245 thousand people are looking for work across the country, about 5 thousand more than the previous week. 

One reason the unemployment number appears to be heading up at differing amounts is, there are different agencies trying to keep track of the numbers; and depending on whose statistics you are reading a different answer may emerge.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows only a 3.5% change in the number of people who are out of work over the last month, represented by 236 thousand people out of work. California shows a slightly higher rate of unemployment, currently sitting at 4.4%.

-Tony Lee