Carson City unemployment rate nudges upward to 7.3 percent in June
Submitted by editor on Tue, 07/21/2015 - 8:41am
The unemployment rate for the Carson City area rate rose to 7.3 percent in June, but declined 1.1 percentage points from 2014, according to figures released Tuesday from the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation.
Carson City had a seasonally adjusted decrease of 200 jobs. Statewide, employment grew by a seasonally adjusted 2,100 jobs in June and grew 3.5 percent over the year, adding 42,400 jobs.
The state-wide unemployment rate fell to 6.9 percent in June, as recently reported, said Bill Anderson, chief economist for Nevada’s Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation. The Reno-Sparks area rose 0.3 of a percentage point in June to 6.4 percent, but is down 1.1 percentage points over the year.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas increased to 7 percent, but is down a percentage point over the year.
Las Vegas saw employment growth in June, while Reno lost jobs. Las Vegas had a seasonally adjusted increase of 5,500 jobs, and Reno/Sparks had a seasonally adjusted decrease of 1,500 jobs.
“Month to month volatility in the unemployment rate is not unusual,” Anderson said. “A better indication of the health of the economy is the year-over-year activity. All and all, the Silver State is continuing to make improvements as employers gain confidence and continue to add jobs and jobseekers continue to return to the job market.”
Statewide In June, 13,185 initial claims for unemployment insurance were filed in Nevada, down 9.1 percent compared to June of last year. The overall trend in claims remains mostly flat, with the 12 month moving average falling slightly by 0.8 percent to 14,270.
This is the 15th consecutive month that the average level of claims has fallen between 14,200 and 14,900. Comparing year -to-date initial claims totals, 2015 has experienced a 4.7 percent decline relative to the same time period in 2014.
“Almost all areas of unemployment insurance benefit activity continue to exhibit improvement relative to last year,” said Anderson. “The decline in filings and length of time claimants receive benefits is consistent with the improvement in the unemployment rate as more people are returning to work.”
The average length of time a claimant receives unemployment insurance benefits has fallen by one full week from June of 2014 to 14.2 weeks. The maximum number of weeks a claimant can receive benefits is 26 weeks. In the 12 months ending in June, 40.7 percent of claimants ran out of benefits, the lowest level in over seven years.
With fewer individuals receiving unemployment insurance benefits and doing so for a shorter period of time, the total dollar amount of payments made to claimants is down. Thus far in 2015, compensation is down 7.5 percent or $13.8 million relative to last year. The state currently pays out approximately $7 million in unemployment compensation each week, with an average weekly payment of $318 and a maximum of $417 available.
An initial claim represents the first stage of filing for unemployment benefits and is therefore most closely related to the number of people who have recently lost their jobs, not the overall

level of unemployment. Initial claims tend to increase on a seasonal basis during the fall and winter months, and then fall during the spring and summer. Initial claims peaked during the recession at 36,414 in December 2008, and the low point for initial claims was 10,963 in May 2015.
