California's Unemployed Population Now 1.16 million -- California Capitol Hill Bulletin -- Volume 10, Bulletin 2 -- January 30, 2003

California's unemployment rate increased to 6.6 percent in December 2002, a one-half percent increase compared to data released one year before, according to figures from a Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics report.

As a region, the report finds Western States (Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii and California) experiencing the largest employment contractions in the country over the year whereas the Midwest had the lowest regional unemployment rate (5.2%). The national rate remains unchanged at 6 percent. Although as a state California's unemployed population grew by over 70,000 between 2001 and 2002, unemployment in Southern California actually decreased by 0.1 percent with the Los Angeles and Long Beach area recording a growth of 9,000 employed persons, according to the report.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is the principal fact-finding agency for the Federal Government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. For more information on this report please visit www.bls.gov .

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