Unemployment up in Avoyelles during month of March

Unemployment rose statewide and in Avoyelles in March. It is likely there will be even bleaker statistics when April's numbers are reported in a few weeks.I

n Avoyelles, the jobless rate jumped 2.2 percent from February -- from 5.2 percent to 7.4 percent. That compares to a statewide increase of 2 percent, from 4.1 to 6.1 percent. The national jobless rate rose only 0.7 percent.

Measures to stop the spread of Coronavirus-2019 went into effect in mid-March. That means the unemployment figure only reflects about two weeks of unemployment from casinos, restaurants, bars, hotels, etc. closing down due to the state's emergency order.

The order was in force all of April, and things are not likely to recover significantly by the start of summer, so the unemployment rate will probably remain high for the next few months.

In March 2019 Avoyelles' unemployment was 4.7 percent, representing a 2.7 percent increase. The state's March-to-March jobless increase was a 1.8 percent increase from 4.3 a year ago. The national unemployment rate in March 2019 was 3.9 percent.

Despite the, hopefully, temporary loss of jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Avoyelles Parish labor force grew by about 200 potential workers, from 14,132 to 14,331. The number of unemployed jumped from 781 in February to 1,143 in March. That 362 increase is only a small fraction of the total number of new unemployment claims filed by Avoyelles Parish workers from mid-March to late April.

Using the seasonally adjusted totals, Louisiana's March rate of 6.9 percent is the highest unemployment level in the nation. Neighboring Texas is 4.7, Arkansas is 4.8 and Mississippi is 5.3. Nearby Oklahoma's unemployment rate is 3.1 percent.

In the unadjusted totals for March, Avoyelles is tied for third when compared with its seven neighbors. Concordia is at 8.3 percent, St. Landry is at 7.9 and Catahoula is also at 7.4 percent. Evangeline's jobless rate is 7.2 percent while Pointe Coupee is at 6.4 and Rapides' rate is 6.1 percent. LaSalle has the lowest unemployment rate in the area at 5.4 percent