Nevada unemployment up slightly in June

The state's unemployment rate increased one tenth of a percent between May and June, to 4.2 percent, as schools closed and the number of unemployed Nevadans jumped by nearly 10,000.

Gov. Kenny Guinn said Monday the economy remained strong despite "the usual decline" in state and local government employment that's tied to the close of the school year.

Statistics from the state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation showed that the number of unemployed Nevadans jumped from 43,100 in May to 52,900 in June - an increase of 9,800.

Total jobs in all industries amounted to 1.1 million.

Nevada's seasonally adjusted jobless rate was 1.3 percent below the national rate and 2 percent lower than neighboring California, according to the agency.

The department's labor market analysts estimate that during June, the Las Vegas metropolitan statistical area, including Nye County and Mohave County in Arizona, had a nonseasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 4.5 percent, up from 3.7 percent in May.

In the Carson City market area, including Carson City and Douglas, Lyon and Storey counties, June unemployment was reported at 5.1 percent, up from 4.5 percent in May.

The Reno area's nonseasonally adjusted June jobless rate was estimated at 3.8 percent, up from 3.3 percent a month earlier.

The Elko labor market area, which includes Elko and Eureka counties, reported unemployment at 4.1 percent, up from 3.6 percent in May.

A breakdown of hiring by specific industries showed the casino-related leisure and hospitality industry was up 1,400 from May to June; while government employment was down 5,000.

Mining was up 300; construction was up 1,800; manufacturing was up 200; trade-transportation-utilities was up 1,300; information-telecommunications was up 100; financial activities hiring was up 200; professional and business services hiring was down 100; and education and health services hiring was down 400.

While month-by-month jobless statistics aren't provided for other counties in Nevada, a report for the April-June quarter showed Churchill at 4.8 percent; Humboldt at 3.4 percent; Lyon at 6.2 percent; and White Pine at 3.3 percent during the April-June quarter. Those jobless rates were all were down compared with the same quarter in 2003.