NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Total civilian employment in Louisiana dropped by more than 30,000 from November 2014 to November 2015.
Figures released Wednesday by the state's Louisiana Workforce Commission and adjusted to account for seasonal changes showed the number of civilians employed at just over 2.008 million in November. That's down from 2.020 million in October and from 2.038 million in November 2014. The overall labor force declined over the year from more than 2.19 million in November 2014 to just more than 2.14 million last month.
The number listed as unemployed was 134,649 for November. That's up from 132,545 in October; down from 157,136 a year earlier.
The unemployment rate was 5.9 percent for November, down from 6.8 percent a year earlier.
Figures that had not yet been seasonally adjusted showed a decline of more than 10,000 jobs over the year in the mining and logging sector, which includes oil and gas activity. State officials blamed much of the state's job losses on depressed oil prices.
"Lafayette and Houma-Thibodaux have been hit hard by low oil prices," the commission said in a news release. "Lafayette lost 5,100 jobs over the year and has recorded eight consecutive months of over-the-year losses."
The commission said only the Baton Rouge and Lake Charles metropolitan areas showed job gains over the year. "Employment in the Baton Rouge MSA is at a historic high with 59 consecutive months of over-the-year increases. Lake Charles has recorded 53 consecutive months of over-the-year increases," the release said.
