Not seasonally adjusted number of employed continues to climb

BATON ROUGE – For the second month in a row, Louisiana’s not seasonally adjusted number of employed individuals increased both over the month and over the year. The May 2021 estimate of 1,932,012 shows a gain from May 2020 of 165,343 employed individuals. The figure also shows an increase of 8,265 employed individuals from the revised April 2021 figure of 1,923,747.

Louisiana’s not seasonally adjusted number of unemployed was estimated to be 138,453. This shows a decrease of 136,787 unemployed individuals from the May 2020 figure of 275,240, but an increase of 1,179 from April 2021.

The May 2021 not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 6.7 percent shows a decline of 6.8 percentage points from the May 2020 rate of 13.5 percent. The rate is unchanged from the revised April 2021 figure.

The May 2021 not seasonally adjusted civilian labor force, or the number of people employed or looking for work, is 2,070,465, an increase of 28,556 from the May 2020 figure of 2,041,909. The series is also up 9,444 individuals from the April 2021 revised figure of 2,061,021.

Not seasonally adjusted May 2021 unemployment rates for Louisiana’s nine MSAs are as follows:

• Alexandria: 4.6 percent, up from 4.4 percent in April, but down from 9.5 percent in May 2020.

• Baton Rouge: 6.0 percent, up from 5.9 percent in April, but down from 12.4 percent in May 2020.

• Hammond: 7.5 percent, up from 7.3 percent in April, but down from 16.2 percent in May 2020.

• Houma: 5.6 percent, unchanged from 5.6 percent in April, but down from 11.2 percent in May 2020.

• Lafayette: 6.0 percent, unchanged from 6.0 percent in April, but down from 12.0 percent in May 2020.

• Lake Charles: 6.9 percent, down from 7.0 percent in April and down from 14.0 percent in May 2020.

• Monroe: 5.8 percent, down from 5.9 percent in April and down from 11.3 percent in May 2020.

• New Orleans: 8.1 percent, down from 8.2 percent in April and down from 16.7 percent in May 2020.

• Shreveport: 6.5 percent, up from 6.4 percent in April, but down from 13.0 percent in May 2020.

Since May 2020, not seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment increased by 97,300 jobs from 1,739,200 to 1,836,500 in May 2021. When compared to April 2021, not seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment increased by 600 jobs.

Since May 2020, not seasonally adjusted private sector employment increased by 95,800 jobs from 1,425,300 to 1,521,100 in May 2021. When compared to April 2021, not seasonally adjusted private sector employment increased by 1,500 jobs.

Industries that showed the largest gains for not seasonally adjusted jobs for May 2021:

Leisure and Hospitality gained 46,700 jobs from May 2020.

Trade, Transportation, and Utilities gained 19,100 from May 2020.

Professional and Business Services gained 13,300 jobs from May 2020.

Education and Health Services gained 10,800 jobs from May 2020.

About the Louisiana Workforce Commission

The Louisiana Workforce Commission is an agency of state government that administers programs designed to enhance workforce growth and provide family-sustaining jobs for Louisiana residents. The commission monitors employment, administers unemployment compensation and tax funds, provides training resources for employers and employees and oversees worker compensation benefits. The agency also gathers and supplies information on the labor market and occupational sectors in Louisiana.